Sleep loss might be an early warning of Alzheimer's disease according to a recent research at Washington University School of Medicine.
Sleep is affected in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The findings of the latest research suggest that sleep problems could as well be markers for the initiation of the disease.
Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimer''s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting memory and thinking and making the person increasingly dependent on others.
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Previous experiments on mice have revealed that a link exists between sleep loss and beta amyloid plaques in the brain, which is a significant marker for the disease.
The study involved healthy 145 participants aged between 45 and 75 years who showed no signs of Alzheimer's disease when enrolled.
Scientists analyzed the spinal fluids of the participants and the samples 32 of them were found to have molecular markers for preclinical Alzheimer's disease.
![Diseases Related to Old Age]( "Diseases Related to Old Age")
Ageing is referred to the accumulation of changes that brings a person closer to death.
The sleep cycles of the volunteers were also recorded for two weeks and it was found that those without markers of the disease slept well when compared to those with the markers.
Hence, the authors opine that loss of sleep could be used as an indicator to the onset of Alzheimer's disease in elderly people.
Source: Medindia
Scientists analyzed the spinal fluids of the participants and the samples 32 of them were found to have molecular markers for preclinical Alzheimer's disease.
Diseases Related to Old Age
Ageing is referred to the accumulation of changes that brings a person closer to death.
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The sleep cycles of the volunteers were also recorded for two weeks and it was found that those without markers of the disease slept well when compared to those with the markers.
Hence, the authors opine that loss of sleep could be used as an indicator to the onset of Alzheimer's disease in elderly people.
Source: Medindia
Risk Factors for Alzheimers Disease
Cognitively normal adults exhibiting atrophy of their temporal lobe or damage to blood vessels in the brain are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.
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 Does Obesity in Old Age Cause Memory Problems?The American Academy of Neurology have confirmed that being overweight in old age does not lead to memory problems but contributes to high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. | Advertisement
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