Insomnia Treatment Linked to Prevention of Brain Damage in Alzheimer's Patients
Sleep Disorders and their Implications
There's a whopping 70 million people worldwide struggling with sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. These restless nights don't just leave you feeling groggy; they can take a toll on your health, affecting your ability to focus and mental well-being.
Research suggests that these sleep disorders significantly increase the risk of various health issues, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal problems, and even dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
"Sleep disorders often show up years before other symptoms of dementia from Alzheimer's disease become apparent," says David M. Holtzman, an expert in neurology. His research, along with others, has found that disrupted sleep elevates levels of tau, a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The team, led by Holtzman, has recently conducted a study using a mouse model, exploring a medication called lemborexant. Sold under the brand name Dayvigo, this sleep disorder medication has the potential to do more than just improve sleep quality.
The Magic of Lemborexant
Lemborexant belongs to a class of medications called dual orexin receptor antagonists. Scientist Samira Parhizkar, who led the study, explains that these drugs work by blocking orexin, a protein that keeps us awake. By suppressing the orexin signaling, the medication makes it easier for the brain and body to rest.
In the study, lemborexant was used to treat mice genetically prone to tau buildup in the brain. Researchers found that treating these mice with lemborexant not only improved sleep quality but also prevented the buildup of tau and reduced inflammatory brain damage associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Parhizkar notes that the reduction in tau buildup and inflammatory damage is significant, as it could potentially safeguard the brain from disease-causing damage. Furthermore, she says that the mice treated with lemborexant displayed larger hippocampus volumes, indicating reduced brain damage.
Exciting Findings, Still a Long Way to Go
While the findings of this study are promising, it's important to emphasize that this research was conducted on mice, and further human trials are needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of lemborexant as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease and insomnia.
Gary Small, a psychiatrist, commended the study, sharing how it aligns with previous research linking good sleep to better cognitive health. He acknowledged that while the results are encouraging, research on humans is vital to move forward in understanding this potential treatment's benefits.
- Sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, pose a significant risk not only for causing daytime grogginess but also for increasing the risk of various health-and-wellness issues, including neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease and other neurological-disorders.
- In Alzheimer's disease, levels of the protein tau are elevated, and research has found that sleep disorders often show up years before other symptoms become apparent.
- A study conducted using a mouse model explored a medication called lemborexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, for its potential to improve sleep quality and reduce the buildup of tau and inflammatory brain damage associated with Alzheimer's disease.
- In the study, using lemborexant for treating mice genetically prone to tau buildup in the brain not only improved sleep quality but also prevented the buildup of tau, reduced inflammatory brain damage, and displayed larger hippocampus volumes, indicating reduced brain damage.
- While findings from the study using lemborexant are promising, further human trials are necessary to determine the medication's safety and effectiveness as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease and insomnia.
