According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease as of 2022; by 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million. In 2022, Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia will cost the nation $321 billion; by 2050, these costs could reach nearly $1 trillion.
The increasingly high prevalence and the consequent social and economic impact of Alzheimer’s disease demonstrate the importance of research efforts surrounding modifiable risk factors and Alzheimer's prevention strategies.
Recently, researchers have uncovered a connection between circadian rhythm and Alzheimer's disease. Below, we take a closer look into research surrounding this relationship and discuss sleep disturbances as an emerging target for Alzheimer’s disease prevention.
Circadian rhythm is the natural cycle of physical, mental, and behavioral changes that our bodies go through in a 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythms can affect sleep-wake cycles, hormonal activity, body temperature, eating and digestion, and other functions. You can think of this as part of your biological clock that helps you fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning.
It is widely known that sleep-wake and circadian rhythm disruption is common in Alzheimer’s disease patients—these changes occur early in the disease course and may even precede the development of cognitive symptoms. However, increasing evidence suggests that these disturbances may also contribute to the development and progression of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The etiopathogenesis of circadian rhythm disturbances and Alzheimer’s disease share several features that suggest they may be a mutually dependent pathway. Pathological mechanisms, such as amyloid production and clearance, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress, can be linked to circadian rhythm disruption, sleep deprivation, and Alzheimer’s disease. Here is what research tells us about the connection between circadian rhythm and Alzheimer’s disease:
When taken as a whole, this research suggests that sleep and Alzheimer’s disease share a complex bidirectional relationship. While more research is needed to better understand this relationship, circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycles may be ideal targets for potential interventions to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and possibly even prevent its development.
In light of research surrounding circadian rhythm and Alzheimer's disease, the circadian rhythm has emerged as an interesting target for Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Therapy-based interventions, such as bright light therapy, can be utilized to regulate the circadian rhythm by gradually shifting sleeping patterns back to a “normal” sleep-wake pattern, thus reducing sleep-wake disturbances. This may aid in reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in those with circadian dysfunction and may help slow the progression of the disease for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Aside from getting sufficient sleep, other Alzheimer's prevention strategies include:
The growing amount of research surrounding modifiable risk factors emphasizes the need to monitor the brain health of individuals with risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, including circadian rhythm and sleep-wake disorders. The brain health of all individuals who have known risk factors, whether modifiable or nonmodifiable, should be assessed and monitored early and frequently to detect neurocognitive changes as early as possible. Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease is crucial, as it can enable early intervention and, consequently, better health outcomes.
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By completing a 10-minute series of augmented reality and motor activities designed to simulate complex Activities of Daily Living on a smartphone or tablet, Altoida’s device extracts and provides robust measurements of neurocognitive function across 13 neurocognitive domains. Our device measures and analyzes nearly 800 multimodal cognitive and functional digital biomarkers. Through the collection of highly granular data from integrated smartphone or tablet sensors, Altoida’s device produces comprehensive neurocognitive domain scores. This data can be tracked longitudinally to reveal trends and patterns while flagging concerning ones.
This method, along with our innovative artificial intelligence, will pioneer fully digital predictive neurological disease diagnosis. After our Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA, Altoida’s device enables a highly accurate prediction of whether a patient aged 55 and older will or will not convert from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. In the future, we hope to utilize our technology to diagnose a breadth of neurological diseases.
To learn more about the connection between circadian rhythm and Alzheimer’s disease or about using Altoida’s Precision Neurology platform to monitor your brain health, contact us today.
