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Sam Kennedy

Eng 1201

Mr, Tim Waggoner

4/21/21
The Effects of Dementia on Sleep

Difficulty sleeping is a common symptom of Dementia and can greatly contribute to how

severe an individual's case is; while also poor sleep can put one at risk for Dementia, therefore

more research needs to be done to study the relationship between sleep patterns and Dementia.

To begin, it is critical to understand the history of Dementia. According to The

Queensland Brain Institute “In the late 1800s, with advancements in medicine and the ability to

look inside the brain, the medical community realised that diseases could cause this

deterioration.” In fact, ancient philosophers agreed the mental decay is a natural part of aging.

The disease was named after Alois Alzheimer, the psychiatrist who discovered the disease.

In 1906 he examined the brain of Auguste Deter who is the first documented case, he

then noticed microscopic plaques and tangles. At the same time a psychiatrist named Oskar

Fischer, studied the brains of older people and he saw plaques and tangles as well.

According to Alzheimer's.org Dementia is characterized as a variety of symptoms such

as “...memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language.” It also affects

day-to-day memory, difficulty concentrating, trouble judging distance and losing track of the day

or what time it is. “These behaviours may include asking the same question over and over,

pacing, restlessness or agitation.” It also states that Dementia is a progressive disease. How

quickly it progresses varies from person to person.

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In fact, a new study by Monash University has found that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has

been linked to an increased risk of dementia. According to Science Daily “...found that severe

OSA is linked to an increase in a protein, called beta-amyloid, that builds up on the walls of the

arteries in the brain and increases the risk of dementia.” OSA is a common sleep disorder which

affects approximately 1 billion people worldwide and is caused by the collapse of an airway

during sleep. Therefore, based on this study an increase of the beta-amyloid protein in the

arteries caused by OSA puts a person at greater risk for Dementia.

Next, according to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov poor sleep is a risk factor for cognitive decline.

Concluding that “Although mechanisms underlying these associations are not yet clear, healthy

sleep appears to play an important role in maintaining brain health with age, and may play a key

role in AD prevention.”

To add, webmd states that “When you don’t get enough sleep, parts of your brain

change.” It also states that one is more likely to receive a Dementia diagnosis if they already

have primary insomnia, which is when a lack of sleep is not related to something else, such as

depression or drug use. There are several sleep disorders that are believed to be linked to

Dementia.

OSA or obstructed sleep apnea which as stated before, is when the throat closes during

sleep. This causes sleep disturbances because it leaves one gasping for breath. Those with

Dementia may also have a shift in their sleep-wake cycle. Which means they’ll feel sleepy

during the day yet feel awake at night. RBD or REM behavior disorder is a condition when the

limbs of the body move during sleep, as normally they stay still.
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As previously highlighted and proven, the brain changes when a person does not sleep for a long

period of time. When you don't get enough sleep, plaque-like substances build up. Sleep also

helps you learn and store memories. In fact, research shows that serious sleep loss results in the

raising of levels of beta-amyloid and tau. To add, according to npr.org researchers put 11

sleeping people under MRI scanners to observe cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, it is a liquid that

flows through the brain and spinal cord. “Earlier studies of animals had found that the flow of

CSF increases during sleep and helps carry away waste products, including the toxins associated

with Alzheimer's.”

Studying CSF waves is a promising route to treat and as well as prevent Dementia. It has

a potential based on the MRI scans and already existing knowledge, since it is known that

sleeping animals go through the same process.

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Bibliography

Hamilton, J. (2019, October 31). How deep sleep may help the brain Clear ALZHEIMER'S

TOXINS.https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/10/31/775068218/how-deep-slee

p-may-help-the-brain-clear-alzheimers-toxins

“History of Dementia Research.” Queensland Brain Institute, 14 Sept. 2017,

qbi.uq.edu.au/brain/dementia/history-dementia-research.

Monash University. "Link between sleep apnea and increased risk of dementia."

ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 11 November 2020.

<www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201111104918.htm>.

Nazario, Brunilda. “The Link Between Dementia & Sleeping Problems.” WebMD,

WebMD, 17 Mar. 2020, www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-dementia.

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Rehman, Anis, and Alexa Fry. “How Can Dementia Affect Sleep?” Sleep Foundation, 14

Jan. 2021, www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health/dementia-and-sleep.

Spira, Adam P, et al. “Impact of Sleep on the Risk of Cognitive Decline and Dementia.”

Current Opinion in Psychiatry, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2014,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4323377/.

“What Is Dementia?” Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia,

www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia.