Sleep problems linked to the shrinkage of the brain – VG

Sleep problems linked to the shrinkage of the brain – VG

The shrinkage is most dramatic in people over 60 years.

Adults People with sleep problems appear to have a faster reduction in brain volume, according A study published in the American Neurology this week.

The study conducted by psychologists at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Oslo in collaboration with Oxford in the UK.

Sleep has been regarded as ” brain caretaker “, which has the task of repairing brain and body after today’s stresses. Insomnia was defined as having difficulty falling asleep or sleeping through the night. Previous studies have also shown that sleep deprivation is harmful.

Sleep is still partly a mystery to scientists, and they do not really understand what happens when we sleep. EM study shows that sleep breaks down toxins in the brain.

Brain Win can cause impaired perception

The researchers examined 147 Norwegian adults with an average age of 54 years. Participants completed a questionnaire about sleep habits, where they among others were asked how long they slept, how long it took them to fall asleep at night and if they used sleeping pills.

All participants were hjerneskannet with MRI twice, by 3.5 years.

– People with sleep problems have more brain wins, but we can not say what is cause and effect, says Professor Kristine Beate Walhovd at the University. Photo: Svein Mild University

The researchers found that participants with sleep problems had a faster reduction of brain volume during the study course. The reduction in brain volume was more pronounced in people over 60 years.

– They had increased shrinkage in relatively broad spectrum areas of the brain, including areas in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe and parietal lobe. These areas are involved in several processes that have to do with cognition, said Professor Kristine Beate Walhovd the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo.

Cognition is a generic term for a number of processes in the brain, as attention, memory, interpretation and problem solving.

The researchers can not say that there are specific tasks that are affected by the reduction in brain volume.

Previous studies have shown that older people need less sleep over the years, and they sleep easier, but you do not know why.

Do not know which came first

The researchers can not say anything about causality from this study.

– Brain shrinkage, we have measured the variations of the change we normally find in the cortex throughout their adult lives, says PhD student Andreas Storsve at the University. Photo: University

– It is not yet known whether poor sleep quality is a cause of changes in brain structure, or reduced brain volume is a cause of sleep problems, says Anders Martin Mountain at the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo.

The researchers do know is that sleep quality as measured by the second time the participants were examined, was associated with how much wastage there had been between the first and second brain scan.

– Sleep can have an effect on the brain, while it is also clear that changes in the brain may affect sleep. It would be interesting to examine causality in a combined study for improvement of sleep quality, says Mountain.

– We have effective treatments for sleep problems, so future research should also test for improving people’s quality of sleep can slow reduction in brain volume.

In this case, it can improve people’s sleep habits can be an important way to improve brain health, he says. A large American study has shown that exercise improves sleep.

Normally with brain dementia during life

How much brain dementia was involved?

– The decrease in hjernevolu system we have measured, the variations of the change we normally find in the cortex through their adult lives. The cerebral cortex in our studies may be up to 5 millimeters thick. Annual percentage ending in cortical thickness is typically between 0.2 and 0.4 per cent across different areas, explains PhD student Andreas Storsve at the University.

The participants in the study are part of a larger study, the scientists conducting the research Group for Life Span Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), the Department of Psychology at the University.

References:

Claire E. Sexton, Andrew B. Storsve et al .: Poor sleep quality is Associated with Increased cortical atrophy in community-dwelling adults. Neurology.

Andreas B. Storsve, Anders Fjell et al .: Differential Longitudinal Changes in Cortical Thickness, Surface Area and Volume across the Adult Life Span: Regions of Accelerating and decelerating Change. Journal of Neuroscience.