Sleep and Neurodegeneration
Research group of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
There is a close connection between sleep and neurodegenerative diseases:
Chronic sleep deprivation causes an acceleration of neuropathological processes, as toxic metabolic products are eliminated from the brain during sleep by the so-called "glymphatic" system. In addition, deposits of Aβ (possibly also Tau) and an increase in the concentration of orexin are responsible for disturbances in sleep physiology, which in turn contribute to a decline in cognitive brain performance.
Our research group "Sleep and Neurodegeneration" deals with sleep-wake rhythm disturbances in neurodegenerative diseases, in particular with respect to their possible suitability as a predictive marker for the future development of dementia. Furthermore, we aim to determine whether the consistent and causal treatment of sleep disorders and the optimization of sleep quality have an influence on the development and course of Alzheimer's disease.
Overarching objectives
In the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, especially in the presence of an Alzheimer's pathology, there are both qualitative and quantitative alterations in different sleep stages. We aim to investigate whether these changes can be visualized polysomnographically in the preclinical stage, and whether they can help to predict the risk of conversion into a clinically manifest dementia syndrome.
The accumulation of the peptide Aβ, among others, is predominantly associated with slow-wave sleep and may be related to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, where it may have a decisive influence on the symptoms and course of this disease.
A further aim is to investigate whether therapeutic interventions that lead to an improvement in sleep quality can improve the level of cognitive functioning and thus delay the transition from the prodromal stage to manifest dementia.
Selection of current projects
- Sleep and the lymphatic system: Influence of acute sleep deprivation and modulation of sleep stages on the Aβ load in plasma
Scientific collaborations
- Prof. Dr. Andrea Rodenbeck, Department of Pneumology, Respiratory Medicine/Sleep Laboratory, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Weende gGmbH
- Study Centre Wilhelmshöhe GmbH
Contact
Research group leader
Dr. Kiriaki Mavridou
Tel.: +49 551 3962007
kmavrid(at)med.uni-goettingen.de