Background: Biomarkers, such as blood p-tau181, p-tau217, and p-tau231, have been created and verified to mirror the pathophysiology of tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain 2. Sleep spindles are known to contribute to memory consolidation and generalization and may therefore be a promising biomarker in preclinical Alzheimer's Disease (AD) 3,4,5. The present study investigated the relationship between sleep spindles and p-tau levels in cognitively healthy older African Americans.
Method: Participants were drawn from the ongoing longitudinal study, Pathways to Healthy Aging in African Americans conducted at Rutgers University-Newark. 75 participants, ages 60-87 years old (completed a blood draw and underwent at-home sleep monitoring over two nights using the DREEM 3 Headband. Plasma was extracted from blood samples to assess p-tau 231 levels using Single molecule array technology, measured by in-house Simoa methods at the University of Gothenburg. Based on the sample median thresholds, a subset of participants were characterized as having higher p-tau231 levels (> 8.9447 pg/mL).
Result: Individuals with high levels of p-tau 231 (> 8.9447 pg/mL) had significantly lower frontal sleep spindle relative power than individuals with lower p-tau 231 levels (< 8.9447 pg/mL) (F= 1.110, η 2= 0.175, p= 0.378).
Conclusion: Sleep spindle relative power may serve as a potential marker for p-tau231 levels among cognitively unimpaired older African Americans in preclinical AD.
© 2024 The Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.