. Poor sleep does not have the same effect on everyone’s brain. A new study suggests that poor sleep may trigger brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease in some people.
Researchers at the Centre for Precision Health at Edith Cowan University in Australia have found that the relationship between sleep habits and specific genes plays an important role in brain degradation. The
study focused specifically on the aquaporin-4 gene. This gene helps control the movement of fluid inside the brain, which makes the brain’s natural waste-cleaning system effective.
According to scientists, the process of removing unnecessary substances accumulated in the brain is accelerated while a person is sleeping.
This process is believed to help remove harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s.
But research has shown that if a person has a different type of aquaporin-4 gene, then the effect of poor sleep can also be different.
Researcher Dr. “People with some aquaporin-4 gene variants have been shown to lose gray matter faster with less sleep,” said Aysia Milligan Armstrong, Ph. D. of the University of Pennsylvania. This means that risk is not only determined by genes, but also by the relationship between genes and lifestyle. The researchers analysed sleep status, brain scans and cognitive abilities of people with 13 common aquaporin-4 gene variants.
In some participants, sleeping less time was associated with a decrease in gray matter, while in others, longer sleep was associated with structural changes in the brain.
Gray matter is the part of the brain that contains cells related to memory, decision-making, movement, and other important functions.
The need for individual strategies in Alzheimer’s prevention
Researcher Dr. “While there is a long-known link between poor sleep and Alzheimer’s risk, a new study suggests that the effect may not be the same for all people,” said Dr. Tenniel Porter. “Not all people at risk get the disease in the same way. Therefore, in the future, different strategies may be needed to prevent Alzheimer’s depending on a person’s genetic condition and lifestyle,” she said.
According to the study, the rate of brain degeneration may be different in two people with the same level of Alzheimer’s risk.
One reason for this may be the difference in their genes.
Researchers say that in the future, clinical trials should be done incorporating information about the gene. This will help us understand the impact of lifestyle changes, such as improving sleep, on people at genetic risk. Prof Simon Lodge, director of the Centre for Precision Health, said: “Identifying who is at greater risk and who can benefit the most from which lifestyle changes is the key to the future of individual healthcare. “
, however, said that it is not yet possible to recommend routine gene testing to identify Alzheimer’s risk. They say that there is a need to study more large and diverse groups. ANI
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