Sleep and Alzheimer's

Changing the way the brain controls how we sleep, as a new study suggests, might be a way to cut the risk of Alzheimer's Disease. Alzheimer's is the commonest form of a group of conditions known as senile dementia. They occur when brain cells are lost, progressively robbing us of our mental faculties. In Alzheimer's Disease it's caused by a buildup of a toxic chemical called a-beta; also known as beta amyloid. This naturally accumulates during the day and gets flushed out during a restful night's sleep. But, by studying mice that have been genetically programmed to develop a form of Alzheimer's, Jeannie Chin found that a part of the brain that stops us being disturbed when we're asleep is less active than it should be. This robs the animals of rest and means they don't clear out the toxic amyloid...