Chronic Sleep Disturbance Could Trigger Onset of Alzheimer’s

According to a new study from researchers at Temple University, there’s another reason to make sure you always get a good night’s sleep: People who experience chronic sleep disturbance could face an earlier onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s. The eight-week animal study revealed memory and learning impairment from reduced sleep. Moreover, in examining the mice’s brains for pathology, the sleep deprivation group showed a significantly increased amount of tau protein tangles. “We can conclude from this study that chronic sleep disturbance is an environmental risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Domenico Praticò, professor of pharmacology and microbiology/immunology, who led the study. “But the good news is that sleep disturbances can be easily treated, which would hopefully reduce the Alzheimer’s risk.” To read more about the study, click here.