Researchers at the University of Liège, supported by the Stop Alzheimer’s Foundation, have investigated whether subtle changes in sleep patterns may reveal early vulnerability to Alzheimer’s disease before memory problems become apparent. In a study published in the journal Sleep, scientists examined sleep patterns in over 500 healthy individuals, finding that among middle-aged participants, more frequent nighttime micro awakenings were associated with a higher genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This relationship was not observed in younger adults.
The study suggests that sleep measurements could potentially help identify individuals who may be more susceptible to Alzheimer’s before symptoms develop. Researchers calculated a polygenic risk score for participants, which summarizes the combined influence of multiple genes on the probability of developing the disease. They found that in the older group (aged 50 to 69), higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s was associated with more frequent micro awakenings, brief interruptions in the sleep cycle that do not fully wake the individual. The researchers also examined the locus coeruleus, a brainstem region involved in regulating sleep and wakefulness, finding associations between sleep quality and the condition of this area, which is among the earliest brain regions where abnormal protein deposits linked to Alzheimer’s can appear. However, the findings demonstrate statistical associations rather than definitive proof that specific sleep patterns cause or predict the disease, and further research is needed to confirm the results and explore the potential of sleep as an early screening tool.