Subtle changes in the way you sleep could be an early indicator of your risk of dementia, a study suggests.
Everyone has micro-awakenings while sleeping, very short periods – usually just a few seconds – during which the brain partially wakes up.
As part of a healthy sleep cycle, people typically experience dozens of them per night, but they don’t normally remember them.
Now, however, researchers in Europe are warning that more micro-awakenings at night could be a warning sign that someone is at greater risk for cognitive decline.
In a study that followed 500 adults for up to seven years, scientists found that middle-aged adults who had more microawakenings were also more likely to have genetic markers that increase their risk of developing cancer. Alzheimer’s disease.
This included genetic markers such as the APOE4 gene, that is linked up to a 60 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s by age 85.
“These micro-awakenings are therefore not insignificant,” says co-author Dr. Puneet Talwar, a sleep researcher at the University of Liège, Belgium.
‘Certain profiles could promote the accumulation of proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease and be associated with increased vulnerability.’
Scientists have revealed a subtle shift in the way you sleep that could put you at greater risk of dementia
It is estimated that approximately seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, but that number is expected to nearly double over the next 24 years.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that sleep disruption, poor quality sleep and daytime sleepiness can all increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, possibly because it can cause harmful proteins to build up in the brain. It was not clear how the genetic markers could disrupt sleep.
The team behind the paper said their research may have revealed a potential method to detect Alzheimer’s risk years before symptoms appear. The condition is usually not diagnosed until a person reaches age 65 or older.
In the study, published in the journal Sleepscientists followed 453 adults with an average age of 22 years and 87 middle-aged adults with an average age of 59 years.
Overall, younger adults slept about seven hours and 30 minutes per night, while middle-aged adults slept about six hours and 30 minutes per night.
The younger participants experienced about 250 micro-awakenings each night, while the older participants experienced about 180 micro-awakenings.
Chris Hemsworth has the APOE gene, also known as the ‘Alzheimer’s gene’. He can be seen at the European premiere of Transformers One at Cineworld Leiscester Square on September 19, 2024
After analyzing the data, the researchers said that those who experienced more micro-awakenings each night were more likely to have genes that increased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
They also used brain scans to analyze the locus coeruleus, an area in the brain stem that controls the sleep-wake cycle.
The team found that sleep quality, ability to fall asleep and sleep depth depended on the proper functioning of the locus coeruleus.
It was also important for rapid eye movement sleep, the stage of sleep where dreaming and memory consolidation occur.
Previous research has also shown that it is one of the first places where abnormal protein deposits appear.
“Sleep could become an accessible marker for the early identification of vulnerable individuals,” says Gilles Vandewalle, sleep researcher and co-author of the study.
And Lucie Leroux, head of French-language activities at the Stop Alzheimer’s Foundation, which funded the research, added: ‘This study shows that sleep is not only an indicator of health, but also a potential lever for intervention.
