News Neuroscience

Just one night of poor sleep can boost Alzheimer’s proteins

Amyloid-beta levels rose in healthy adults with interrupted slow-wave Zs

sleeping woman

SLEEP DEEP  Slow-wave sleep, the deepest stage of sleep, may keep the brain from accumulating proteins that can lead to Alzheimer’s.

DNF-Style/iStockphoto

By Tina Hesman Saey

- More than 2 years ago

How well, not how much, people sleep may affect Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Healthy adults built up Alzheimer’s-associated proteins in their cerebral spinal fluid when prevented from getting slow-wave sleep, the deepest stage of sleep, researchers report July 10 in Brain.