February 2010 – BrainWatt

Sleep problems during neurodegeneration

A lot of brain disorders and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease are associated with sleeping problems and disturbances like insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep-wake rhythm disturbance, and so on. This can lead to worse symptoms including impaired motor and cognitive skills, headaches, and depression. Scientists are studying what causes these sleep disturbances, and what brain areas are responsible for controlling sleep and are damaged during disease.

Chokroverty S. Sleep and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Semin Neurol 2009;29:446-468.

Why do teenagers sleep so late?

Development, Neuroscience sleep deprived, teenage sleep 0 Comment

Almost half of all adolescents in the United States are sleep deprived. Why is this such a widespread problem? The authors argue in this review that besides societal pressures and schoolwork, changes in sleep regulation during puberty lead to delayed sleep and later bedtimes. This is incompatible with early school start times and other societal pressures, but delayed sleep during puberty is likely common to mammals and not just humans.

Hagenauer MH et al. Adolescent Changes in the Homeostatic and Circadian Regulation of Sleep. Dev Neurosci 2009;31:276-284.