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Alzheimer's Disease Possibly Linked To Sleep Deprivation
sonnejw0 writes "NewScientist is reporting a link between sleep deprivation and Alzheimer's Disease via an increased amyloid-beta plaque load thought responsible for a large part of the symptoms of the disease, in mice. Medication to abrogate insomnia reduced the plaque load. Also discussed is a recently discovered sleep cycle of amyloid-beta deposition in the brain, in which levels decrease while asleep. 'Holtzman also tried sending the mice to sleep with a drug that is being trialled for insomnia, called Almorexant. This reduced the amount of plaque-forming protein. He suggests that sleeping for longer could limit the formation of plaques, and perhaps block it altogether.'"
"You can sleep when you're demented"
Why don't we all just start taking Holtzman?
...trying to think of a clever comment, but now I forgot it!
...I am SO screwed. I think.
"I'd just like to emphasise that taking a million years isn't a metaphor here..." -Rich Bradshaw
A while back they said that caffeine could prevent or slow the disease. Since then I've been drinking 12 cups of coffee a day and sleep on average 30 minutes a night! And now this? Bastards!
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
The presence of large numbers of old people makes hunting for food way easier. If you aren't picky.