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Implications of sleep disturbance and inflammation for Alzheimer's disease dementia.

Literature Information

DOI10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30450-2
PMID30661858
JournalThe Lancet. Neurology
Impact Factor45.5
JCR QuartileQ1
Publication Year2019
Times Cited251
Keywordssleep disturbance, inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive decline, β-amyloid
Literature TypeJournal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Review
ISSN1474-4422
Pages296-306
Issue18(3)
AuthorsMichael R Irwin, Michael V Vitiello

TL;DR

This research highlights that nearly 50% of adults over 60 experience sleep disturbances, which are linked to cognitive decline and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease through mechanisms involving systemic inflammation and β-amyloid accumulation. Understanding the bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbances and Alzheimer's may reveal modifiable risk factors for prevention strategies.

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sleep disturbance · inflammation · Alzheimer's disease · cognitive decline · β-amyloid

Abstract

Nearly half of all adults older than 60 years of age report sleep disturbance, as characterised either by reports of insomnia complaints with daytime consequences, dissatisfaction with sleep quality or quantity, or the diagnosis of insomnia disorder. Accumulating evidence shows that sleep disturbance contributes to cognitive decline and might also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease dementia by increasing β-amyloid burden. That sleep disturbance would be a candidate risk factor for Alzheimer's disease might seem surprising, given that disturbed sleep is usually considered a consequence of Alzheimer's disease. However, a bidirectional relationship between sleep and Alzheimer's disease is supported by advances in our understanding of sleep disturbance-induced increases in systemic inflammation, which can be viewed as an early event in the course of Alzheimer's disease. Inflammation increases β-amyloid burden and is thought to drive Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. Improved understanding of the mechanisms linking sleep disturbance and Alzheimer's disease risk could facilitate the identification of targets for prevention, given that both sleep disturbance and inflammatory activation might be modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.

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Primary Questions Addressed

  1. How do specific types of sleep disturbances, such as insomnia versus sleep apnea, differentially impact the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease?
  2. What role does chronic inflammation play in the progression of Alzheimer's disease in individuals with sleep disturbances?
  3. Are there particular demographic factors, such as age or gender, that influence the relationship between sleep disturbances and Alzheimer's disease risk?
  4. How might interventions aimed at improving sleep quality affect inflammation levels and subsequently reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease?
  5. What are the potential mechanisms by which sleep disturbances may exacerbate β-amyloid accumulation in the brain?

Key Findings

1. Research Background and Objectives: The study addresses the significant prevalence of sleep disturbances among adults over 60, with nearly half reporting issues such as insomnia and dissatisfaction with sleep quality. Traditionally, sleep disturbances have been viewed as consequences of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but recent research suggests a more complex relationship. The primary objective of this research is to explore how sleep disturbances may not only result from AD but also act as potential risk factors contributing to its development. The study aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which sleep disturbances could influence cognitive decline and increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, particularly focusing on the role of systemic inflammation and β-amyloid accumulation.

2. Main Methods and Findings: The authors conducted a review of existing literature examining the relationship between sleep disturbances and Alzheimer's disease. They highlighted evidence that links poor sleep quality with cognitive decline and an increased burden of β-amyloid, a hallmark of Alzheimer's pathology. The findings suggest that sleep disturbances lead to increased systemic inflammation, which is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. This inflammatory response may exacerbate β-amyloid accumulation, suggesting a bidirectional relationship where sleep disturbances can contribute to the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease, rather than merely being a symptom of it.

3. Core Conclusions: The research concludes that sleep disturbances are not only prevalent in older adults but are also significant risk factors for the development of Alzheimer's disease. The bidirectional relationship emphasizes the role of systemic inflammation as a critical link between disrupted sleep and increased β-amyloid burden. This underscores the importance of viewing sleep disturbances as potential modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, which could pave the way for new prevention strategies.

4. Research Significance and Impact: This study has critical implications for public health, particularly in the aging population. By identifying sleep disturbances as a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, it opens avenues for intervention that could mitigate cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. The findings encourage further research into targeted therapies that address sleep quality and inflammation, potentially leading to improved outcomes for at-risk individuals. Additionally, this research highlights the need for holistic approaches in managing elderly health, integrating sleep hygiene and inflammation control into standard care practices for cognitive health. Overall, enhancing our understanding of the interplay between sleep, inflammation, and Alzheimer's aims to improve preventive measures and therapeutic strategies in the fight against dementia.

Literatures Citing This Work

  1. Sleep Disturbance as Potential Risk and Progression Factor for Parkinson's Disease. - Nicolaas I Bohnen;Michele T M Hu - Journal of Parkinson's disease (2019)
  2. Longitudinal analysis of risk factors for dementia based on Mild Cognitive Impairment Screen results and questionnaire responses from healthy Japanese individuals registered in an online database. - Masayo Ogawa;Kazushi Maruo;Daichi Sone;Hiroyuki Shimada;Keisuke Suzuki;Hiroshi Watanabe;Hiroshi Matsuda;Hidehiro Mizusawa - Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.) (2019)
  3. Disruption of Neural Homeostasis as a Model of Relapse and Recurrence in Late-Life Depression. - Carmen Andreescu;Olusola Ajilore;Howard J Aizenstein;Kimberly Albert;Meryl A Butters;Bennett A Landman;Helmet T Karim;Robert Krafty;Warren D Taylor - The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (2019)
  4. Sleep and neuropsychiatric illness. - John W Winkelman;Luis de Lecea - Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
  5. Nocturnal Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate Reduces Cortisol-Awakening Response and Morning Kynurenine Pathway Metabolites in Healthy Volunteers. - D A Dornbierer;M Boxler;C D Voegel;B Stucky;A E Steuer;T M Binz;M R Baumgartner;D M Baur;B B Quednow;T Kraemer;E Seifritz;H P Landolt;O G Bosch - The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology (2019)
  6. Molecular Hybridization as a Tool in the Design of Multi-target Directed Drug Candidates for Neurodegenerative Diseases. - Vanessa Silva Gontijo;Flávia P Dias Viegas;Cindy Juliet Cristancho Ortiz;Matheus de Freitas Silva;Caio Miranda Damasio;Mayara Chagas Rosa;Thâmara Gaspar Campos;Dyecika Souza Couto;Kris Simone Tranches Dias;Claudio Viegas - Current neuropharmacology (2020)
  7. Self-reported sleep relates to hippocampal atrophy across the adult lifespan: results from the Lifebrain consortium. - Anders M Fjell;Øystein Sørensen;Inge K Amlien;David Bartrés-Faz;Didac Maciá Bros;Nikolaus Buchmann;Ilja Demuth;Christian A Drevon;Sandra Düzel;Klaus P Ebmeier;Ane-Victoria Idland;Tim C Kietzmann;Rogier Kievit;Simone Kühn;Ulman Lindenberger;Athanasia M Mowinckel;Lars Nyberg;Darren Price;Claire E Sexton;Cristina Solé-Padullés;Sara Pudas;Donatas Sederevicius;Sana Suri;Gerd Wagner;Leiv Otto Watne;René Westerhausen;Enikő Zsoldos;Kristine B Walhovd - Sleep (2020)
  8. The mediating role of low-grade inflammation on the prospective association between sleep and cognitive function in older men and women: 8-year follow-up from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. - Marta Jackowska;Dorina Cadar - Archives of gerontology and geriatrics (2020)
  9. Blood biomarkers for memory: toward early detection of risk for Alzheimer disease, pharmacogenomics, and repurposed drugs. - A B Niculescu;H Le-Niculescu;K Roseberry;S Wang;J Hart;A Kaur;H Robertson;T Jones;A Strasburger;A Williams;S M Kurian;B Lamb;A Shekhar;D K Lahiri;A J Saykin - Molecular psychiatry (2020)
  10. Sleep problems and risk of all-cause cognitive decline or dementia: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. - Wei Xu;Chen-Chen Tan;Juan-Juan Zou;Xi-Peng Cao;Lan Tan - Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry (2020)

... (241 more literatures)


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