Not getting enough sleep at night may be associated with Alzheimer's disease, a virulent form of dementia, according to a recent study.
Researchers at the University of California-Berkeley found that a "deficit" of a deep slumber, which is needed to hit the save button on memories, "was associated with a higher risk of buildup of brain proteins which are believed to play a role in triggering Alzheimer's disease," CBS News reported. The buildup of these proteins leads to further sleep deprivation and memory impairment, resulting in a "vicious cycle."
"Our findings reveal a new pathway through which Alzheimer's disease may cause memory decline later in life," neuroscience professor Matthew Walker, senior author of the study, said in a statement.
For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from 26 adults who have not been diagnosed with dementia. The participants "memorized 120 word pairs before scans were used to monitor their brain activity as they slept. They were then tested again in the morning," Yahoo News reported.
A buildup of beta-amyloid has been found in Alzheimer's patients and, independently, in people reporting sleep disorders. Moreover, a 2013 University of Rochester study found that the brain cells of mice would shrink during non-rapid-eye-movement (non-REM) sleep to make space for cerebrospinal fluids to wash out toxic metabolites such as beta-amyloid.
Walker said he good news about the findings is that poor sleep is potentially treatable and can be enhanced through exercise, behavioral therapy and even electrical stimulation that amplifies brain waves during sleep, a technology that has been used successfully in young adults to increase their overnight memory.
"Sleep is helping wash away toxic proteins at night, preventing them from building up and from potentially destroying brain cells," Walker said. "It's providing a power cleanse for the brain."
The findings are detailed in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
