Deep Sleep Brain Waves Offer Protection Against Alzheimer’s, Shows New Research
A new study suggests that specific brain waves produced during deep sleep may protect against cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients. Researchers found that these brain oscillations help mitigate the negative effects of the neurotransmitter orexin, which is linked to neurodegeneration.
Why it matters
This research offers a potential non-pharmacological pathway for managing Alzheimer's symptoms by focusing on sleep quality and brain wave activity.
Poor sleep quality has been linked to cognitive decline, neuro-degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease in seniors—but it may be possible to counteract certain risks.
A new study shows that specific sleep brain waves provide protection against the harmful effects of a brain chemical associated with wakefulness, sleep transition, and narcolepsy.
Concordia University-led researchers examined levels of the neurotransmitter orexin in the cerebral spinal fluid of 60 adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease over a three-year period.
They found that individuals with elevated levels of orexin, which is vital to sleep and appetite regulation, were more likely to exhibit symptoms of cognitive decline, including poorer memory and thinking, more severe behavioral and psychiatric symptoms and had higher levels of biological markers associated with neurodegenerative disease and inflammation.
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