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Decrease in sleep depth is associated with higher cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light levels in Alzheimer's disease patients

A. Targa, F. Dakterzada, I. Benítez, R. López, M. Pujol, M. Dalmases, A. Arias, M. Sánchez-de-la-Torre et al.

Sleep, 2020

104 participants · 29 citations

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVES

The majority of studies investigating the association between sleep and Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers have been performed in healthy subjects. Our objective was to investigate the association between sleep and several biomarkers that reflect distinct aspects of AD physiopathology.

METHODS

The cohort included 104 individuals with mild-moderate AD. The subjects were submitted to one-night polysomnography, and cerebrospinal fluid was collected in the following morning to measure the selected biomarkers associated with amyloid deposition, tau pathology, neurodegeneration, axonal damage, synaptic integrity, neuroinflammation, and oxidative damage.

RESULTS

There was a positive correlation between neurofilament light (NF-L) and the time spent in N1 sleep and a negative correlation between this marker and the time spent in N3 sleep. Accordingly, we observed that deep sleep was associated with lower levels of NF-L, whereas light sleep increased the probability of having higher levels of this marker. Furthermore, chitinase 3-like 1 (YKL-40) was negatively correlated with sleep efficiency, the time spent in N2 sleep and the time spent in N3 sleep. Conversely, there was a positive correlation between N3 sleep and the oxidative protein damage markers N-ε-(carboxyethyl)lysine and N-ε-(malondialdehyde)lysine.

CONCLUSIONS

There were significant correlations between sleep parameters and AD biomarkers related to axonal damage and neuroinflammation, such as NF-L and…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 104 participants or records.

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