About
Risk for Alzheimer’s disease begins decades before the onset of clinical symptoms. The accumulation of certain proteins, such as beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles, are hallmark features of Alzheimer’s disease that are linked to cognitive decline and memory loss. Disturbed sleep and sleep disorders increase the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and are associated with beta-amyloid and tau deposition.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is characterized by frequent pauses in breathing during sleep. If untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can damage neural tissue in areas of the brain critical for memory function, leading to cognitive impairment. If left untreated, it is also associated with an earlier onset of Mild Cognitive Impairment and increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. However, the precise mechanisms by which this occurs are not fully understood.
In collaboration with the laboratories of Dr. Ruth Benca and Dr. Bryce Mander, we aim to uncover the mechanisms by which obstructive sleep apnea increases risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, we are interested in:
- Changes in brain activity measured during sleep or during imaging that may relate to increased Alzheimer’s disease risk.
- Whether general sleep disturbance or obstructive sleep apnea affects brain and cognitive function by contributing to deposition of Alzheimer’s disease pathologies, thereby increasing Alzheimer’s disease risk.
- Whether OSA treatment may prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease progression.
We collect a variety of neuroimaging data (fMRI, PET, EEG), cognitive and neuropsychological assessments, wrist-worn accelerometry to monitor activity rhythms (actigraphy), as well as blood-, salivary-, and cerebrospinal fluid -based biomarkers. Our overnight sleep studies are conducted at the UCI Health Sleep Medicine Center in Newport Beach.
Future Studies
Studies suggest that another sleep disorder, insomnia, is specifically associated with increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease as compared to other forms of dementia. Furthermore, insomnia patients exhibit greater levels of cerebrospinal fluid-based beta-amyloid. Notably, insomnia disorder is more prevalent in females, who are also at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. How does Insomnia confer greater Alzheimer’s disease risk? What role do sex differences play? Future studies should address these critical knowledge gaps.
Impact
Determining the role of sleep in Alzheimer’s disease pathology and progression could aid in the development of sleep-based interventions for preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, while current public health recommendations for Alzheimer’s disease prevention focus on modifiable lifestyle factors, such as exercise, social engagement, and intellectual stimulation, sleep is frequently not recognized in these guidelines (see Alzheimer’s Association Prevention Website, WHO guidelines, and the main model in the Lancet 2020 Report on Dementia Prevention, Treatment, and Care.) Therefore, this research may help to guide public health recommendations by bringing to light sleep as another important modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease prevention.
To participate in a study, email ucisleepcenter@hs.uci.edu.
Project Team
Destiny Berisha
Graduate Student