Subtle changes in sleep may provide an early clue about Alzheimer’s disease risk, even before memory problems appear. A recent study found that healthy middle-aged adults with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s experienced more frequent micro-awakenings during sleep. These brief disruptions may be difficult to notice and do not necessarily cause a person to fully wake up, but they could reflect early changes in brain function. The findings raise the possibility that sleep patterns might eventually help researchers identify people at increased risk years before noticeable symptoms develop. However, more research is needed to understand whether micro-awakenings directly contribute to Alzheimer’s risk or simply serve as an early marker of underlying changes in the brain.
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