It has been proven that with age, sleep is less restorative. At 65, the pace changes. The night is fragmenting, the time to fall asleep is getting longer and the sleep is often lighter. Luis Lecea, head of this recent study published in the American scientific journal Science, told AFP that “more than half of people over 65 complain about the quality of their sleep”.
Sleep: with age, we lose 38% of hypocretins
The aim of this study was to understand why older people sleep less well. The researchers wondered how the brain circuits involved in sleep degrade over time in mice. The experiment was carried out on young (3 to 5 months) and old (18 to 22 months) mice, in order to compare their different cerebral reactions. The scientists used light to stimulate specific neurons.
For this, the researchers focused on hypocretins. These are neurotransmitters that are generated by a small part of the neurons in the brain. Hypocretins transmit signals, which play a vital role in stabilizing sleep. The role of hypocretins was discovered in 1998 by researchers, including Luis Lecea, who led this current research.
France is the leading consumer country of sleeping pills. But if they can be a solution to treat insomnia, they are not always effective.
Previously, other studies have also shown that the breakdown of hypocretins can lead to narcolepsy (excessive sleep time and involuntary drowsiness). Hypocretins are therefore directly linked to our sleep.
The study concluded that older mice lose about 38% hypocretins compared to younger ones. Luis Lecea added: “The neurons (the remaining hypocretins) tend to be more active and fire up more, and if so, you wake up more frequently.”
Better treatments?
France is the leading consumer country of sleeping pills. But if they can be a solution for treat insomnia, they are not always effective. In addition, they can have certain negative consequences such as leading to cognitive difficulties or falls.
The HAS (Haute Autorité de Santé) denounced a few years ago on its official website an excessive and trivialized consumption of sleeping pills among the elderly. More than half of the treatments would not be appropriate according to her, and these drugs would be prescribed too easily.
Identifying the mechanisms responsible for sleep loss could help develop better drugs. Indeed, according to the researchers, new drugs aimed at specific targets could work better. For Luis Lecea, retigabine (antiepileptic drug) seems to him to be a promising solution. However, clinical trials will be needed to determine its effectiveness.
Source: Medisite