New Research Reveals Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Brain Damage
A new study has identified a potential cause of neuronal death due to sleep deprivation, shedding light on how lack of sleep impacts cognitive function and increases the risk of neurological diseases. The research, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, suggests that the decline of a protein called pleiotrophin (PTN) during sleep deprivation leads to damage in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with learning and memory.
The study, conducted with mice, found that sleep-deprived animals exhibited decreased levels of the protective protein PTN. Researchers also observed changes in the abundance of other proteins and RNA in the hippocampus, indicating neurological damage caused by lack of sleep. Importantly, when investigating the role of PTN, they discovered that a loss of PTN can lead to cell death in the hippocampus.
Furthermore, the research team investigated the implications of their findings in humans and found that PTN is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. This suggests that the decline of PTN due to sleep deprivation may be a contributing factor to an increased risk of cognitive impairment and neurological diseases.
The results of the study suggest a new mechanism by which sleep protects brain function, according to the researchers. Additionally, they propose that PTN levels could serve as an indicator of cognitive impairment resulting from insomnia.
This study provides valuable insights into the harmful effects of chronic sleep deprivation and may pave the way for future research aimed at developing strategies to protect the brain from the damaging impacts of sleep loss. The implications of this research extend beyond sleep quality, offering a new perspective on how cognitive function is affected and neurological disease risk is heightened by a lack of sleep.
The researchers involved in the study acknowledge funding from various sources including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, and the Binzhou Medical University Research Start-up Fund. This support has enabled the team to pursue valuable research aimed at understanding the impact of sleep deprivation on brain health and cognitive function.