Suboptimal self-reported sleep efficiency and duration are associated with faster accumulation of brain amyloid beta in cognitively unimpaired older adults.

Abstract

This study investigated whether self-reported sleep quality is associated with brain amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation. Linear mixed effect model analyses were conducted for 189 cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults (mean±standard deviation 74.0±6.2; 53.2% female), with baseline self-reported sleep data, and positron emission tomography-determined brain Aβ measured over a minimum of three time points (range 33.3-72.7 months). Analyses included random slopes and intercepts, interaction for apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele status, and time, adjusting for sex and baseline age. Sleep duration<6hours, in APOE ε4 carriers, and sleep efficiency<65%, in the whole sample and APOE ε4 non-carriers, is associated with faster accumulation of brain Aβ. These findings suggest a role for self-reported suboptimal sleep efficiency and duration in the accumulation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology in CU individuals. Additionally, poor sleep efficiency represents a potential route via which individuals at lower genetic risk may progress to preclinical AD. In cognitively unimpaired older adults self-report sleep is associated with brain amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation.Across sleep characteristics, this relationship differs by apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype.Sleep duration<6hours is associated with faster brain Aβ accumulation in APOE ε4 carriers.Sleep efficiency< 65% is associated with faster brain Aβ accumulation in APOE ε4 non-carriers.Personalized sleep interventions should be studied for potential to slow Aβ accumulation.