Predicting neurodegeneration from sleep related biofluid changes.
Yue Yang1, Woojin Scott Kim2, Johannes C Michaelian3
1Brain and Mind Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia.
Neurobiology of Disease
|December 4, 2023
Summary
Sleep disturbances can precede neurodegenerative disease diagnosis. Identifying specific fluid biomarkers for sleep issues may enable early detection and intervention for conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomarker Research
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Sleep-wake disturbances are early indicators of neurodegenerative diseases, potentially preceding clinical symptoms by years.
- These disturbances may represent an early disease stage or actively contribute to neurodegeneration.
- Early identification of at-risk individuals through biomarkers is crucial for timely diagnosis and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of fluid biomarkers in identifying individuals with sleep-wake disturbances who are at high risk for developing neurodegenerative diseases.
- To clarify the relationship between established neurodegenerative biomarkers and hormonal/circadian sleep biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of fluid biomarkers including neurofilament light chain, phosphorylated tau, amyloid-beta, and alpha-synuclein in individuals with sleep-wake disturbances.
- Assessment of hormonal sleep biomarkers (melatonin, cortisol, orexin) and chronobiological markers (clock gene expression).
- Investigating the correlation between sleep-related biomarkers and established neurodegenerative markers.
Main Results:
- Commonly analyzed biomarkers (neurofilament light chain, tau, amyloid-beta, alpha-synuclein) indicate an underlying neurodegenerative process in patients with sleep disturbances.
- Hormonal (melatonin, cortisol, orexin) and chronobiological (clock genes) biomarker abnormalities are observed in neurodegenerative diseases, but their link to standard markers is unclear.
- Current data suggest a combined approach using multiple fluid biomarkers offers improved sensitivity and specificity for predicting neurodegenerative disease risk.
Conclusions:
- Sleep-wake disturbances are significant early signs of neurodegenerative diseases.
- A combination of fluid biomarkers, including those related to neurodegeneration and sleep regulation, holds promise for early risk prediction.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the causal relationships between sleep disturbances, biomarker abnormalities, and neurodegeneration.
Related Concept Videos
01:37Neural Regulation
39.5K
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
39.5K
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
147
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
147