A new UC Berkeley study suggests that changes in deep (non-REM) sleep may be linked to episodic memory loss and to Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain. Researchers measured brain waves during sleep using electroencephalography (EEG). They compared the brain waves of people in their early 20s with those in their mid-60s to mid-70s. They found that, compared to young adults, older adults without dementia showed disrupted brain wave patterns that were associated with poorer memory and more tau- an Alzheimer’s disease protein- in the brain. Several years later, the older adults with continued buildup of tau in their brains had greater disruption of brain waves and poorer memory.

It is still unclear which begins first: the disruption of the brain waves or the accumulation of tau in the brain. However, these findings highlight both the complexity of the role of sleep in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and the importance of sleep in maintaining brain health.

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