Sleep-Wake Cycle Controls Tau Protein Clearance in Brain and Spinal Fluid
Does Your Sleep-Wake Cycle Control Alzheimer’s Tau Protein Clearance?
Yes, and the regulation is remarkably precise. This groundbreaking research revealed that tau protein levels in brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid fluctuate dramatically with the sleep-wake cycle, with concentrations nearly doubling during waking hours and decreasing during sleep. The study demonstrates that sleep actively clears tau proteins—the same proteins that form tangles in Alzheimer’s disease—providing another crucial mechanism by which sleep protects against neurodegeneration.