New study finds Alzheimer's linked to daytime naps

Is there a link between cognitive decline and excessive daytime naps? According to a March issue of Alzheimer's and Dementia: Journal of the Alzheimer's Association In an article, new research from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center suggests a potential link between the two

The link appears to be bidirectional, the researchers said; one year later, long, frequent naps were associated with poorer cognitive performance, and poorer cognitive performance was associated with longer, more frequent naps

Aron Buchman, MD, a neuroscientist at Rush University Medical Center and co-author of the article, said the study provides evidence for a changing view of Alzheimer's disease as a purely cognitive disorder

"We now know that the pathology associated with cognitive decline leads to changes in other functions," he said

The researchers followed more than 1,400 patients for up to 14 years as part of the Rapid Memory and Aging Project and the Religious Order Study

When the study began, more than 75 percent of the participants had no signs of any cognitive impairment, 19.

The researchers also compared participants who were cognitively normal at the start of the study but developed Alzheimer's with those whose minds remained stable during the study period

Bookman stressed that the study does not imply that naps cause Alzheimer's and vice versa

"This is an observational study, so we can't say 'a causes b'," he said

Alzheimer's disease is caused by the accumulation of two proteins, amyloid and tau, in the brain

"Once you've identified the pathology and location, you can move on to potential treatments," Buchman said

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the BrightFocus Foundation Alzheimer's Disease Research Program

"The people in our study were very special people," he said