When sleepless nights persist

People who suffer from disrupted sleep may have memory problems in later life, new research suggests.

...changes in people’s sleep patterns over longer periods may increase chances of cognitive decline and dementia

Scientists have linked poor sleep with a build-up of amyloid plaques – sticky clumps of protein that build up in the brain which are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers tested the sleep patterns of 100 people aged 45 to 80, and found that 25 per cent of the participants had evidence of amyloid plaques, which can appear years before the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease begin.

People who woke up more than five times each hour were more likely to have amyloid plaque build-up compared to people who did not wake up as much.

Those who spent less than 85 per cent of their time in bed sleeping were more likely to have the markers than those who spent more than 85 per cent of their time in bed sleeping.

“Disrupted sleep appears to be associated with the build-up of amyloid plaques, a hallmark marker of Alzheimer’s disease, in the brains of people without memory problems,” said study author Yo-El Ju, of Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

“Further research is needed to determine why this is happening and whether sleep changes may predict cognitive decline.

“The association between disrupted sleep and amyloid plaques is intriguing, but the information from this study can’t determine a cause-effect relationship or the direction of this relationship.

“We need longer-term studies, following individuals’ sleep over years, to determine whether disrupted sleep leads to amyloid plaques, or whether brain changes in early Alzheimer’s disease lead to changes in sleep.

“Our study lays the groundwork for investigating whether manipulating sleep is a possible strategy in the prevention or slowing of Alzheimer disease.”

The research will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 64th annual meeting in New Orleans in April.

A spokesman for the Alzheimer’s Society said: “This interesting study supports previous research that suggests regularly disrupted sleep could be linked to plaques known to develop in Alzheimer’s disease.

“Much more research is needed, as we don’t know whether these changes in people’s sleep patterns over longer periods may increase chances of cognitive decline and dementia.

“Those of us who may have to count sheep at times should not panic. The best way to reduce your risk of dementia is to eat healthily, take regular exercise, don’t smoke and get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked.”