Sleep difficulties in later life may potentially double the risk of developing dementia.

Sleep difficulties in later life may potentially double the risk of developing dementia.

Study Finds Sleep Disorders May Double Dementia Risk

There might be a strong association between sleep disorders and the development of dementia, according to a significant study by researchers from Cardiff University's UK Dementia Research Institute and the NIH Intramural Centre for Alzheimer's and Related Dementia (CARD).

The extensive study, which analyzed over one million electronic health records, found that an individual diagnosed with a sleep disorder, especially circadian sleep disorders and non-organic sleep disorders, was up to twice as likely to develop dementia within 10-15 years.

Published in npj Dementia, the findings bolster the argument that addressing sleep disorders could be a viable strategy to reduce the risk of dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. The researchers mapped out the relationship between various sleep disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's, to gain new insights into the long-term risks associated with disrupted sleep.

The investigators discovered that the risk of dementia increase for people with recurrent sleep disorders, and sleep disorders were linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, irrespective of genetic predisposition.

Dr Emily Simmonds, a bioinformatician at the UK Dementia Research Institute, led the study in an effort to better understand the complex relationship between sleep and dementia. While people living with dementia often experience sleep problems, the research team had not yet found conclusive evidence to claim that poor sleep increases dementia risk.

The team used biobank data to examine the relationship between diagnosed sleep disorders and subsequent neurodegenerative disease diagnoses. This allowed them to analyze timestamped sleep disorder records and neurodegeneration diagnoses, compared to self-reported data.

This study adds to the growing evidence that sleep disorders should be considered as an important modifiable risk factor when estimating the risk of major neurodegenerative diseases. The research team emphasized that more studies are needed to establish a definitive causal link between sleep disorders and dementia.

Cardiff, the location of Cardiff University, is a city in southern Wales. Aside from the study on sleep disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, Cardiff is known for Barry Island, where a teenager was recently bailed after a 16-year-old died at an amusement park. Additionally, Paria Veisi, a woman who disappeared after leaving work, was found to have died by stab wounds, according to a coroner. A teenager, Corey Gauci, was recently jailed for the murder of a father-of-seven in Cardiff.

Relevant Findings

• The study found no causal link between sleep disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, however, it did identify a strong, independent association between sleep disorders and later neurodegenerative diseases.
• Addressing sleep disorders could potentially reduce the risk of major neurodegenerative diseases, as illustrated by the increased risks in individuals with a low genetic predisposition.
• The findings revealed an increased risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease for individuals with circadian and non-organic sleep disorders, irrespective of genetic risk factors for these diseases.
• Sleep disorders could potentially serve as an early marker of neurodegeneration or contribute to disease progression. The study's findings do not clarify which of these possibilities is true.

(Note: The summary table from the Enrichment Data has been integrated into the article to provide a clear overview of the study findings.)

1. The study by researchers from Cardiff University's UK Dementia Research Institute and the NIH Intramural Centre for Alzheimer's and Related Dementia (CARD) identified a strong, independent association between sleep disorders and the development of later neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.
2. The extensive research bolsters the argument that addressing sleep disorders, particularly circadian sleep disorders and non-organic sleep disorders, could potentially reduce the risk of major neurodegenerative diseases.
3. The study found an increased risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease for individuals with circadian and non-organic sleep disorders, independent of genetic risk factors for these neurodegenerative diseases.

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