Friday, November 29, 2013

Why should EVERYONE Down Syndrome be proactive about sleep problems?

This study was performed on older adults looking at factors related to amyloid build-up. Amyloid deposition contributes to dementia. This study was NOT performed on Trisomy 21 but the neuopathology is similar. Until we have results on people with Down Syndrome...adequate sleep can't hurt. JR

Importance  Older adults commonly report disturbed sleep, and recent studies in humans and animals suggest links between sleep and Alzheimer disease biomarkers.

 Studies are needed that evaluate whether sleep variables are associated with neuroimaging evidence of β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition.
Objective  To determine the association between self-reported sleep variables and Aβ deposition in community-dwelling older adults.
Design, Setting, and Participants  Cross-sectional study of 70 adults (mean age, 76 [range, 53-91] years) from the neuroimaging substudy of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, a normative aging study.
Exposure  Self-reported sleep variables.
Main Outcomes and Measures  β-Amyloid burden, measured by carbon 11–labeled Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography distribution volume ratios (DVRs).
Results  After adjustment for potential confounders, reports of shorter sleep duration were associated with greater Aβ burden, measured by mean cortical DVR (B = 0.08 [95% CI, 0.03-0.14]; P = .005) and precuneus DVR (B = 0.11 [0.03-0.18]; P = .007). Reports of lower sleep quality were associated with greater Aβ burden measured by precuneus DVR (B = 0.08 [0.01-0.15]; P = .03).
Conclusions and Relevance  Among community-dwelling older adults, reports of shorter sleep duration and poorer sleep quality are associated with greater Aβ burden. Additional studies with objective sleep measures are needed to determine whether sleep disturbance causes or accelerates Alzheimer disease.

article here

No comments: