Sleep and Neurodegenerative Diseases

About Neurodegenerative Disease 

• Neurodegenerative diseases occur when cells in the brain and spinal cord die
• As these cells cannot be replaced, and are responsible for controlling most aspects of function, there are significant consequences
• Some of the more commonly known neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)

Losing large numbers of cells in the spinal cord or brain causes symptoms that broadly fall into one of two groups – problems with memory or with controlling movement. The causes of neurodegenerative disease and available treatments (if any) are highly varied. Unfortunately years of cell degeneration can pass before symptoms become obvious, making early diagnosis difficult.

About Sleep and Neurodegenerative Disease

• As would be expected, damage to the brain in neurodegenerative disease can also cause sleep problems
• One third to one half of Alzheimer’s patients have obstructive sleep apnea
• Three-quarters to almost all of the people with Parkinson’s have sleep disturbances

In Alzheimer’s, patients typically have sleep disturbances early on when the only other sign is mild memory loss. Sleep problems get worse as the disease progresses. Sundowning (when the Alzheimer sufferer shows disruptive and agitated behavior in the evening and night hours) further affects sleep problems. In Parkinson’s there is sleep disruption is caused by many factors. Sleep apnea can occur in these sufferers as muscle function and brain control is increasingly affected by the disease.

Drugs used to treat neurodegenerative diseases can also cause sleep problems. As quality and quantity of sleep is vital to general well-being it is important to also treat sleep disorders in conjunction with neurodegenerative disease. This may include changing the timing of drugs, use of additional drugs, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and improving bedtime routines.