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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Sleep is essential for physical and mental health, playing a critical role in memory consolidation, behavioral stability, and the regulation of immune and metabolic functions. The incidence of sleep disorders, particularly sleep deprivation (SD), increases with age and is prevalent in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Nearly 40% of AD patients experience significant chronic sleep impairments. The clinical distinction between late-life sleep disorders and AD is often challenging due to overlapping symptoms, including cognitive decline and behavioral impairments. Although the exact causal relationship between SD and AD remains complex and multifaceted, strong evidence suggests a bidirectional link, with AD patients frequently exhibiting disrupted sleep architecture, reduced slow-wave activity, and shorter total sleep duration. On a pathophysiological level, SD contributes to neuroinflammation, amyloid-β plaque deposition, and tau tangles, which are key features of AD. Current treatments, such as sedatives and antidepressants, often have limitations, including inconsistent efficacy, dependency risks, and poor long-term outcomes/recurrence, highlighting the need for safer and more effective alternatives. This review examines the interplay between SD and AD and proposes omega (n)-3 fatty acids (FAs) as a potential therapeutic intervention. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that n-3 supplementation may improve sleep onset/quality, reduce neuroinflammation, support synaptic function, and decrease amyloid-β aggregation, thereby alleviating early AD-related neurological changes. Given their safety profile and neuroprotective effects, n-3 FAs represent a promising strategy for managing the comorbidity of sleep disorders in AD.

Details

Title
Sleep Deprivation and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review of the Bidirectional Interactions and Therapeutic Potential of Omega-3
Author
Niazi Nasar Ullah Khan 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Jiang Jiahui 2 ; Ou Haiyan 2 ; Chen Ruiye 2 ; Yang, Zhiyou 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 College of Food Science and Technology, Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; [email protected] (N.U.K.N.); [email protected] (J.J.); [email protected] (H.O.); [email protected] (R.C.), Zhanjiang Municipal Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs and Nutrition for Brain Health, Institute of Marine Drugs and Nutrition, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China 
 College of Food Science and Technology, Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; [email protected] (N.U.K.N.); [email protected] (J.J.); [email protected] (H.O.); [email protected] (R.C.) 
First page
641
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20763425
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3223880276
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.