Sleep shortage accelerates Alzheimer's development

2019/01/24 Agirre Ruiz de Arkaute, Aitziber - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biokimika
• Osasuna

It is known that scarcity of sleep and Alzheimer's disease have some relationship, but scientists have not known how this relationship takes place. Science has clarified this time that when sleep is interrupted, the concentration of Tau protein, key to Alzheimer's disease, increases considerably. In particular, a 50% increase in Tau protein has been observed by analyzing human samples from cerebral cefardalic fluid and bone marrow.

In fact, Tau protein flows during the day – when we are awake and actively working – and decreases during sleep. It appears especially in the nervous system, as it helps to stabilize the axons of neurons. In some cases, however, Tau proteins become complicated and cause cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer's. Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have found that toxic accumulation of Tau protein contributes to brain expansion of sleep shortage in recent research with mice.

According to researchers, sleep shortage does not produce disease, but it helps it spread faster when it is already developing. Thus, it has been suggested that good sleep habits can help protect brain health.