Longitudinal associations of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and slow‐wave sleep with plasma Alzheimer's disease biomarkers

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

INTRODUCTION: Data on how sleep architecture relates to progression of plasma Alzheimer's disease biomarkers remains limited. METHODS: Sixty-four cognitively unimpaired older adults (ages 55-90) underwent plasma collection twice 2.6 years apart and polysomnography proximate to the first plasma collection. Plasma amyloid beta (Aβ) 42 and 40 were measured via mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Frontal slow-wave activity (SWA) was inversely associated with plasma Aβ42/40 at cross-section in bivariate analysis and in a covariate-adjusted model. In comparison, low rapid eye movement (REM) sleep percentage was associated with a large longitudinal decline in annualized blood-based Aβ42/40. In exploratory analyses, the association between low REM sleep percentage and faster decline in Aβ42/40 ratio was stronger in the amyloid-positive group. DISCUSSION: In cognitively unimpaired older adults, non-REM SWA correlates with cross-sectional amyloid load, whereas REM sleep may predict accelerated amyloid accumulation in preclinical stage, suggesting both may serve as early biomarkers and modifiable interventional targets.