Insomnia Treatment May Safeguard Brain From Alzheimer's Damage
So here's the deal:
A whopping 70 million folks worldwide grapple with sleep disorders, ranging from insomnia to sleep apnea. And let me tell you, these issues can wreak havoc on a person's health, upping their chances of getting conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal problems, and, you guessed it, Alzheimer's disease.
But here's the twist: a new study has revealed that a medication commonly used to treat insomnia could offer more than just better shut-eye. Research from Washington University School of Medicine has found that lemborexant, sold under the brand name Dayvigo, might also safeguard the brain from a buildup of the protein tau, which is associated with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
How lemborexant stomps out tau in the brain
In this study, the researchers zeroed in on lemborexant, a sleep disorder medication that belongs to a class called dual orexin receptor antagonists. These drugs work by blocking orexin, a protein in the brain that keeps us awake and alert. By switching off the orexin signaling, the medication allows sleep to occur more easily.
Scientists used lemborexant to treat a model of mice that were prone to having tau buildup in their brains. In the healthy brain, tau proteins act as roadways that help support the shape of cells and move nutrients and signals around. But in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, tau proteins lose their form, causing cellular dysfunction that leads to protein tangles, nerve cell death, and memory loss.
Lemborexant to the rescue: slashing tau buildup and inflammatory brain damage
When the study wrapped up, the researchers discovered that treating the mice with lemborexant helped prevent tau buildup in the brain, reducing the inflammatory brain damage that tau buildup is known to cause in Alzheimer's disease.
They also noticed that the mice treated with the sleep aid had a larger hippocampus volume compared to those not treated with the medication. The bigger hippocampal volume indicates reduced brain damage and cellular loss in mice treated with lemborexant compared to those given a placebo, where abnormal tau continued to accumulate in the brain, resulting in cell damage, death, and shrinkage of the hippocampus.
Sleeper’s Paradise: Better Cognitive Health Awaits
Researchers in the field have applauded the findings, as they align with previous research connecting quality sleep with better cognitive health. Furthermore, it suggests that interventions for improving sleep quality may contribute to improved focus, reduced memory complaints, less brain amyloid, and inflammation reduction, which could explain the cognitive benefits of sleep.
However, it's essential to note that this study was conducted on mice, and further research is necessary to determine the safety and effectiveness of lemborexant as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease and chronic insomnia in humans.
- Sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, impact approximately 70 million people worldwide, possibly leading to several health-and-wellness issues like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal problems, and Alzheimer's disease.
- A recent study sheds light on lemborexant, a medication used to treat sleep disorders, which may also offer protection against the buildup of the protein tau associated with Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.
- In the study, lemborexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, successfully prevented tau buildup in the brains of mice prone to Alzheimer's-like conditions.
- The reduced tau buildup in the mice treated with lemborexant resulted in less inflammatory brain damage and a larger hippocampus volume, indicating reduced brain damage and cellular loss compared to mice given a placebo.
- Researchers believe that improved sleep quality, as promoted by medications like lemborexant, could lead to better cognitive health, including reduced memory complaints and less brain inflammation.
- While further research is needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of lemborexant as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease and chronic insomnia in humans, the findings align with prior studies connecting quality sleep with mental health and aging, suggesting the potential cognitive benefits of targeting sleep disorders.
