Study Shows Sleeping Pills Reduce Alzheimer’s Brain Disease Signs
A recent study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, investigated the effect of taking sleep medication on people with Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published in Annals of Neurology, assessed the impact of suvorexant, an FDA-approved sleeping pill sold under the brand name Belsomra.
The medication reduced the level of Alzheimer’s proteins in participants’ spinal fluid. The study’s two-night sleep analysis included 38 participants, divided into three groups: one received a placebo, one a low dose of suvorexant, and the other a higher dose. Participants who took the higher dose showed anywhere from 10% to 20% less protein compared to those who received the placebo.
The results suggest that taking suvorexant could prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The study is part of a growing body of evidence showing the links between poor sleep, Alzheimer’s disease, and the potential for interventions in early-stage disease.
However, while this study marks a decrease in Alzheimer’s proteins, there remains the question of whether it will result in improved cognition. Future studies need to be conducted with more participants and over more extended periods to determine the long-term impact of sleeping medication on Alzheimer’s disease.