Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for this disease, but recent research has offered some hope in the form of a sleep drug that has been found to reduce Alzheimer’s proteins. This breakthrough could potentially lead to new treatments and therapies for Alzheimer’s patients in the future. In this article, we will explore the study behind this exciting development and what it could mean for those affected by Alzheimer’s.
The dual orexin receptor antagonist, suvorexant, which is approved for insomnia, has shown a reduction in tau phosphorylation and amyloid beta levels in a small clinical trial. The trial results revealed that suvorexant can decrease the ratio of phosphorylated tau-threonine-181 to unphosphorylated tau-threonine-181 by 10% to 15% compared to placebo. The levels of amyloid-beta also dipped by 10% to 20% post-suvorexant administration, starting from 5 hours onwards. The findings suggest that suvorexant may prove effective in staving off cognitive decline. However, the clinical trial was particularly small, and the researcher is cautious in his interpretation of the results. Nevertheless, the drug is already available and has been proven safe, and the mentioned evidence suggests that it affects the levels of proteins that are vital for driving Alzheimer’s disease.
The relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease has been the focus of researchers in recent years. Clinical neurology professionals have moved closer to answering questions and understanding the complex relationship between the two. Past Work has shown that older adults who had less slow-wave sleep had higher levels of brain tau. Moreover, sleep apnea has been linked to higher tau burden. However, the “chicken-and-egg question” of whether Alzheimer’s proteins build up independently or contribute to sleep disruption has not been answered.
Evidence supports a role for the orexin system in the development of Alzheimer’s pathology. In mouse models, dual orexin receptor antagonists have been shown to decrease soluble amyloid-beta levels and amyloid plaques. Researchers recruited 38 healthy people aged between 45 to 65 years without cognitive impairment to undergo a 2-night sleep study. The test subjects were given suvorexant 10 mg (13 people), suvorexant 20 mg (12 people), or placebo (13 people) via randomized selection. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the test subjects was evaluated via intrathecal lumbar catheterization every 2 hours for 36 hours.
The researchers observed that suvorexant did not significantly improve total sleep time, sleep efficiency, time in non-rapid eye movement sleep or time in REM sleep over placebo. Moreover, suvorexant did not decrease phosphorylation at tau-serine-202 or tau-threonine-217. However, the application of suvorexant on the second night resulted in decreased levels of both proteins, indicating the drug’s action may extend beyond sleep induction. The researchers noted that the study’s findings were limited by the small sample size, and future studies were needed to test if the effects of the drug on amyloid and tau exist in other dual orexin receptor antagonists like lemborexant (Dayvigo) and daridorexant (Quviviq).
In conclusion, the discovery that a sleep drug can reduce the levels of Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain is a promising development in the ongoing fight against this devastating disease. This research has shed light on the correlation between sleep patterns and Alzheimer’s, offering a new avenue for exploration and potential treatments. While much work remains to be done, this finding gives hope that one day we may be able to prevent or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s through improved sleep habits or medications. Until then, it is important to continue supporting research in this area and raising awareness of the importance of healthy sleep patterns for overall brain health.
