As busy college students, we tend to underestimate the power and importance of sleep. Sleep is critical for learning, memory, metabolism,
and overall body function. While lack of sleep can be attributed to many stressors, new findings have shown that those who receive less sleep are
likely to develop diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Moreover,
researchers have found those that suffer from sleep conditions such as sleep
apnea or insomnia are likely to develop Parkinson’s. There is also a possibility that the sleep disorders itself is a precursor for the disease developing within an individual. Therefore, understanding the relationship between sleep and mental and physical health is crucial in
order to make necessary lifestyle adjustments for disease prevention and
overall well-being.
A
study by Dr. Yo-El Ju examined the effects of sleep and the effects
on memory, specifically the relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease.
Overall, the study found that individuals who woke up repeatedly throughout the
night were more likely to develop amyloid plaques in the brain which is a
characteristic symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, it was found that daytime sleepiness and abnormal sleep
schedules are also associated with early changes due to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Cavanaugh’s study on circadian rhythms provides some insight
into why a disrupted circadian rhythm, in which individuals have difficulty
sleeping at night and are tired during the day, can develop memory and
cognitive disorders. The different negative feedback loops and proteins that
stabilize our circadian rhythm can become imbalanced which can cause changes in
behavior and function. Additionally, REM sleep is affected accordingly during
different times of the day. This shows a link between circadian rhythm and
sleep, both of which are factors that contribute to Alzheimer’s. However, in
order to find an effective cure or treatment, more research must be done to
find the exact relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s. Understanding the
biological pathway will help us develop a drug that can be used to treat this
disease.
Several
recent studies researched the relationship between sleep and how it relates to
Parkinson’s disease. Individuals that have rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder known as RBD are more likely to also develop dementia or Parkinson’s
disease since they already lack adequate levels of dopamine in the brain.
Parkinson’s disease is caused when nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine stop producing
it. Interestingly, Dr. Cavanaugh’s lecture on sleep also discusses the effects
of sleep deprivation on memory. His research discusses the importance of
dopamine in regulating sleep. While low levels of dopamine inhibit sleep, high
levels of dopamine are also associated with sleep difficulty in Drosophila. In Dr. Cavanaugh’s study, it was found that dopamine actually has a
wake-promoting effect as it acts as a homolog to norepinephrine. Dopamine regulation is crucial to sleep patterns in Drosophila as shown through its intricate role in the
mushroom body structure of the insect. However, even this study does not provide enough information as needed
to further our knowledge on the effects of sleep, dopamine, and Parkinson’s
disease. More research needs to be done, as stated in Dr.
Cavanaugh’s research paper, to examine the correlation of these three variable in relation to one another.
This is essential in order to develop pharmaceutical drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease and to diagnose it before it
becomes severe.
Although
research such as those discussed above brings us closer to understanding the
intricate and complex neurological pathways of diseases such as dementia,
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, it is certainly not enough knowledge for us to
directly address and cure these conditions. We can see how sleep is a great
factor that contributes to the development of such diseases, but to this day
there are no absolute methods that help us detect the presence of these
diseases or cure them. More research is absolutely necessary. However, the knowledge that we do have can make us more
conscious of our lifestyle choices and hopefully educate more individuals about
the importance of a healthy sleep schedule.
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