Lack of sleep in old age may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, research suggests. Brain-clogging plaques, or beta amyloid plaques, are believed to interfere with mental functioning.
Twenty-six mentally healthy adults were studied at the University of California, Berkeley, by undergoing brain imaging to asses plaque buildup, and then being asked to repeat a set of words after sleeping.
Patients with the highest level of plaques slept lighter and had higher levels of memory problems their MRI scans showed. However, the link is not proven to explain adult memory loss, according to the study.
From the July 06, 2015 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
