Studies led by Barbara Bendlin, PhD, associate professor, Geriatrics and Gerontology, indicate that sleep may play a surprising role in combating Alzheimer's disease. 

Research involving subjects enrolled in Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention (WRAP) indicated a link between people who reported sleeping badly and the level of amyloid-beta plaques observed in their brains. 

The initial study, which was published in 2015, led to a follow-up investigation published in 2017 finding that poor sleep was associated with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in spinal fluid. 

Dr. Bendlin and colleagues are now investigating sleep apnea and Alzheimer's disease. 

"If we find out that sleep problems contribute to brain amyloid — what that really says is there may be a window to intervene," said Dr. Bendlin. 

Resources:

• "The brain may clean out Alzheimer’s plaques during sleep," Science News, July 15, 2018
• "Poor sleep linked to brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease," Department of Medicine, September 13, 2017
• Sprecher KE, Koscik RL, Carlsson CM, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Okonkwo OC, Sager MA, Asthana S, Johnson SC, Benca RM, Bendlin BB. 2017. Poor sleep is associated with CSF biomarkers of amyloid pathology in cognitively normal adults. Neurology. 89(5):445-453.

Photo (top): Dr. Barbara Bendlin in her research laboratory. Photo credit: Clint Thayer/Department of Medicine