Sleeping pills may lower binding protein

This study arose as a result of previous research. studyfound that drugs that block orexin, the brain’s “wake-up” chemical, also affected tau and amyloid, key proteins in Alzheimer’s disease.

“Previous studies in mice have demonstrated dual orexin receptor antagonists (Armolexant If so, it reduced both soluble amyloid beta levels and amyloid pathology. Dr. Brendan Lucyan associate professor in the Department of Neurology and Sleep Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and the lead author of the study.

Lucy told Healthline that she wanted to investigate the effects of this class of drugs on Alzheimer’s disease proteins in humans.

The sleep study lasted two nights and included 38 people between the ages of 45 and 65 with no signs of cognitive impairment.

They were divided into three groups. The first group received a placebo pill, the second group he received 10 mg suvorexant, and the third group he received 20 mg suvorexant.

Each took a pill at 9:00 pm and then went to bed. The researchers used a spinal tap procedure to take samples of his cerebrospinal fluid every two hours for 36 hours starting one hour before he was given the tablets. The samples were then analyzed to see how the levels of tau and amyloid changed.

People who took high doses of sleeping pills had less protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease

Participants who took high doses or 20 mg of suvorexant experienced two statistically significant differences compared to those who took placebo.

Those who took lower doses or 10 mg of suvorexant showed no significant difference compared to the placebo group.

After 5 hours, those who took the 20 mg dose had 10-20% lower levels of amyloid, but 10-15% lower levels of an important form of tau protein called hyperphosphorylated tau.

After 24 hours, the 20mg participants’ amyloid levels remained low, but their tau levels were elevated.

“We were surprised that amyloid beta and phosphorylated tau 181 (pT181) remained low throughout,” said Lucey.

Another surprising finding for him was that some forms of tau appeared to be completely unaffected by suvorexant. How did this happen?

“This is potentially important, but difficult to know at this stage,” he said. “pT181 is the most abundantly phosphorylated tau form, and other tau forms need longer time to decrease, so it is possible that we saw a difference.”

He continued: More research needed! ”

The study is further based on suvorexant’s potential effects on Alzheimer’s disease proteins, which the researchers believe does not mean the drug is a viable ‘treatment’ or ‘prevention’ of dementia. I was keen to emphasize that it is not.

“This study does not support the use of suvorexant and dual orexin receptor antagonists to prevent or slow Alzheimer’s disease,” Lucey affirmed.

Instead, what this study is doing is “supporting or justifying additional research testing this drug for longer periods of time and preventing/delaying symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.”

AS Dr. Bruce AlvaraAdj, professor of neurology at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, added that suvorexant is not without potential side effects.

“These include, but are not limited to, depressive effects and daytime disturbances with disturbances in wakefulness and motor coordination,” he told Healthline. It’s not good for people who are already experiencing cognitive impairment due to disease or dementia.”

Finally, the continued use of some sleep aids can affect our “sleep architecture.” Dr. Aman Fesharaki Zadehbehavioral neurologist and neuropsychiatrist at Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale Medicine.

This includes the all-important REM sleep disruption. linked Increased risk of dementia.

The link between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease is complex, and scientists continue to investigate how the two affect each other.

“There is a close relationship between sleep and cognitive performance. Dr. Alex DimitriuDouble Board Certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, and Founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine.

For example, he told Healthline:

But the relationship is not one-sided, says Albala. “It has long been known that cognitive impairment and dementia progression from Alzheimer’s disease can disrupt normal sleep cycles. Many people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease are unable to sleep through the night.”

Regarding brain proteins in particular, “sleep-wake activity influences the clearance of amyloid-β and tau via the recently discovered lymphatic system,” explained Fesharaki-Zadeh.

“[This system] Plays a role in removing metabolic waste products from the brain during sleep [and] Lack of sleep can disrupt the clearance of the lymphatic network,” he said.

Ultimately, Fesharaki-Zadeh said:

Suvorexant is a sleep aid that “has been shown to improve both the amount of REM sleep and sleep continuity,” says Dimitriu.[This] You may sleep longer and have more REM sleep, both of which may contribute to the removal of accumulated toxins.

This toxin may contain proteins such as tau and amyloid.

Dr. Michael BroduleProfessor of Pharmacy and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences said: But I think it’s still hard to say for sure what it is. ”

“It wasn’t just the impact on sleep that caused some of these changes,” he said. [to proteins] — At least from what this experiment tells us. ”

Albala agreed that the association likely extends beyond suvorexant’s effects on sleep.

“The current paper states … that the reduction in the ratio of amyloid to phosphorylated tau measured in CSF collected at the 20 mg high dose of suvorexant was a result of the drug itself and of changes in sleep in treated participants.” It strongly suggests that the result is not that dose.

Determining the exact effects of suvorexant remains unclear, says Lucey, “and is likely to be complex. It has many effects. Further research is needed to determine what mechanisms are involved.”

Suvorexant is an FDA-approved drug prescribed to treat insomnia in adults. “It helps both fall asleep and stay asleep,” says Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois of Pharm.D.and single care.

“Typically, sleep onset is increased by about 10 minutes and sleep is extended by about 30 minutes,” added Brodeur.

So how does it work?

“Suvorexant is a highly selective orexin receptor antagonist that reduces the effects of hormones that maintain wakefulness,” said Bourgeois. “By blocking this system, suvorexant can reduce arousal.”

Suvorexant is not currently approved to treat or alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, but it is approved to help people with dementia sleep.

But Brodeur says: No changes should be made to patient management practices or recommendations at this time. [drug]”

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease, or those worried about developing Alzheimer’s disease, should not use suvorexant to treat or manage their symptoms.

But there are other prescription drugs designed and approved to treat dementia. Brodeur clarified that they fall into his two groups.

• Cholinesterase inhibitors (including drugs such as: Donepezil)
• NMDA inhibitors (including drugs such as memantine),

Furthermore, Brodeur added, “There are some new drugs available, such as Aduhelm, that affect beta-amyloid.”

However, he said they are “just emerging from clinical studies and not yet in widespread use.”

If you are concerned about the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, talk to your doctor.