Sleep loss may be more than just a symptom of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and could instead serve as an early warning sign, according to new research from the University of Kentucky.

The study suggests that poor sleep may act like a “canary in a coal mine” for neurodegeneration, potentially appearing long before memory loss and formal diagnosis. Researchers found that tau protein, long known to play a central role in Alzheimer’s, may disrupt the brain’s energy balance and shift it toward excessive neural activity, preventing the normal restorative sleep cycles needed for brain health, News.Az reports, citing Refractor.

According to researcher Riley E. Irmen, this imbalance causes the brain to remain overly active rather than entering deep, synchronized sleep states. He said sleep disruption may not just accompany Alzheimer’s but could be part of the disease process itself.

The study indicates that during wakefulness the brain may overproduce toxic proteins, while deep sleep normally helps clear waste and restore balance. When sleep becomes fragmented, this process is disrupted, potentially accelerating disease progression.

Earlier research has already linked Alzheimer’s to breakdowns in the brain’s energy system, creating a cycle in which poor sleep worsens neurodegeneration and vice versa.

The new findings add that tau protein may redirect glucose use in the brain, fueling overactivity while reducing calming processes, contributing to long-term imbalance.

Researchers also suggest that some of these effects might be reversible, and that existing drugs could potentially help interrupt the cycle of disrupted sleep and neurodegeneration.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova