Sleep Abnormalities and Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aimed at investigating sleep abnormalities as risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), with a focus on their potential utility in early disease detection and risk modification. RECENT FINDINGS: Impaired sleep quality, circadian misalignment, and disruptions in sleep architecture are significantly associated with an elevated risk of AD. Moreover, excessive or insufficient sleep, reductions in slow-wave and REM sleep, and fragmented rest-activity rhythms have been linked to early alterations in amyloid-β and tau biomarkers, even in cognitively unimpaired individuals. Various sleep disorders have also been identified as independent contributors to AD risk, particularly among genetically susceptible populations. Sleep and circadian disturbances, as well as changes in sleep architecture, represent easily detectable and modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. Integrating sleep and sleep-based metrics into preventive strategies may enhance early identification and offer novel avenues for intervention, modulating the risk of Alzheimer's disease.