3 ms·

I want to throw something by you: what if dementia-like diseases can be linked to sleep disorders? Several papers recently have linked CSF flow through the brai

by Nemi 2y ago

I want to throw something by you: what if dementia-like diseases can be linked to sleep disorders? Several papers recently have linked CSF flow through the brain during sleep (the glymphatic system), which appears to be “cleaning” the brain of waste, like the plaques seen in Alzheimers. Specifically, what if a disruption of CSF production is being impacted by, say, an imbalance of CSF precursors (like electrolytes) caused by something like a hormonal imbalance or low-grade kidney issues that don’t get picked up by normal tests? This would short-circuit the glymphatic process not allowing the body to create as much CSF as it needs. Then the brain won’t get as much cleaning as it should. EDIT: sorry, I did not see your later reply saying that you WERE focusing on sleep disruptions! my bad. And, interesting…

ProjectArcturis 2y ago
It's also hard to distinguish whether sleep disruptions cause AD or the other way around.
- pedalpete 2y ago
  I think it's fair to say that early sleep disruptions are related to the onset of AD, and then AD itself exacerbates these issues, I commented further above.
pedalpete 2y ago
It is actually and very unfortunately both. One of the researchers we are connected to has posited that increased amyloid build up decreases the effectiveness of the glymphatic system, which is why we see lower delta power in older adults which then further reduces the ability to remove build-up. It's a vicious cycle. We also see this with cortisol levels in under slept individuals and exacerbated in people with AD. In response to a lack of sleep, the body increases cortisol, that increase in cortisol introduces challenges in getting good sleep, which increases cortisol. For most of us, this isn't an issue as we get on top of our sleep within a fairly short period and sort this out, but in people with AD, there is a cortisol dysregulation, and potential a circadian issue as well. One hypothesis why the AD paper I linked to earlier had such a huge impact on AD sufferers was because PTAS has been shown to have a 15% decrease in early night cortisol levels. The cortisol levels were not checked in the AD subjects because it was a feasibility study, but I'll be speaking with the researchers next week, and hopefully that is the plan for the next stage research.

by Nemi 2y ago

ProjectArcturis 2y ago

It's also hard to distinguish whether sleep disruptions cause AD or the other way around.

pedalpete 2y ago
I think it's fair to say that early sleep disruptions are related to the onset of AD, and then AD itself exacerbates these issues, I commented further above.

pedalpete 2y ago

It is actually and very unfortunately both. One of the researchers we are connected to has posited that increased amyloid build up decreases the effectiveness of the glymphatic system, which is why we see lower delta power in older adults which then further reduces the ability to remove build-up. It's a vicious cycle. We also see this with cortisol levels in under slept individuals and exacerbated in people with AD. In response to a lack of sleep, the body increases cortisol, that increase in cortisol introduces challenges in getting good sleep, which increases cortisol. For most of us, this isn't an issue as we get on top of our sleep within a fairly short period and sort this out, but in people with AD, there is a cortisol dysregulation, and potential a circadian issue as well. One hypothesis why the AD paper I linked to earlier had such a huge impact on AD sufferers was because PTAS has been shown to have a 15% decrease in early night cortisol levels. The cortisol levels were not checked in the AD subjects because it was a feasibility study, but I'll be speaking with the researchers next week, and hopefully that is the plan for the next stage research.