Poor sleep is associated with increased tau protein accumulation and memory issues specifically in women with a higher genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Genetic Risk Correlation: Poor sleep is associated with increased tau protein accumulation and memory issues specifically in women with a higher genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease.
- Visual Memory Specificity: The research found that sleep complaints were linked to declines in visual memory performance but did not show a similar relationship with verbal memory.
- Clinical Intervention Potential: Self-reported sleep assessments offer an inexpensive way for healthcare providers to identify high-risk patients who may benefit from early intervention or prevention strategies.
Poor sleep quality may be a significant risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease in older women with a higher genetic predisposition, according to a study from researchers at the University of California San Diego. The findings suggest that women at elevated genetic risk who report poor sleep also exhibit greater memory difficulties and more disease-related brain changes.
Researchers analyzed 69 women aged 65 years and older participating in the Women Inflammation Tau Study, an ongoing project focused on aging and Alzheimer’s disease risk. The participants completed sleep quality questionnaires, underwent memory testing, and received brain scans to measure tau, a protein that accumulates abnormally in Alzheimer’s disease.
The study found that poorer self-reported sleep was associated with worse visual memory performance and greater tau accumulation in brain regions affected early by the disease, but only among women with higher genetic risk. Women with lower genetic risk did not demonstrate the same relationship between sleep complaints, memory, and tau buildup. The findings were specific to visual memory and were not observed for verbal memory.
Sleep disturbances and Alzheimer’s disease may reinforce one another over time, said the researchers. Previous data suggests that disrupted sleep can contribute to the buildup of abnormal tau proteins, while Alzheimer’s-related brain changes may also interfere with healthy sleep patterns. Because women account for nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases and frequently report poorer sleep quality than men, sleep may represent an important and potentially modifiable risk factor.
The study authors noted that self-reported sleep assessments are inexpensive and easy to administer, which could help healthcare providers identify individuals who may benefit from closer monitoring. Improving sleep could become a target for future prevention strategies, especially for women at elevated genetic risk.
“Overall, it might be important to take sleep complaints seriously for older women as it may be relevant to their brain health,” said Kitty Lui, a joint doctoral student in clinical psychology, in a news release.
The study was led by Lui and Sarah Banks, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at University of California San Diego Medical School, and was published in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.
