Sleep disturbances are increasingly recognized as potential early indicators and modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Disruptions in sleep, circadian rhythms, and specific sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea, insomnia, REM sleep behavior disorder) are common in older adults and have been linked to accelerated amyloid-beta accumulation, tau pathology, neuroinflammation, and impaired glymphatic clearance, all key hallmarks of ADRD. Given the long preclinical phase of ADRD and the urgent need for early intervention strategies, identifying reliable and non-invasive predictive biomarkers is of high clinical significance.

This Research Topic aims to explore sleep-related biomarkers to unlock predictive pathways for ADRD. By identifying measurable sleep characteristics, whether physiological (e.g., EEG patterns, sleep architecture), biochemical (e.g., CSF or plasma markers influenced by sleep), or behavioral (e.g., sleep patterns from wearables), that can signal an elevated risk or early stage of ADRD, this Topic will facilitate earlier diagnosis, enable targeted preventive interventions, and monitor treatment efficacy to mitigate cognitive decline.

We welcome submissions and discussions on subthemes including but not limited to:

• Identification and validation of new sleep-related physiological, biochemical, or imaging markers indicative of ADRD risk or progression.

• Elucidating the biological pathways (e.g., glymphatic system, neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, mitochondrial function) through which sleep disturbances contribute to ADRD pathology.

• Findings from studies tracking sleep patterns and their association with long-term cognitive outcomes and ADRD incidence.

• The application of wearable devices, polysomnography, actigraphy, and advanced analytical tools (e.g., machine learning, AI) for continuous, non-invasive sleep assessment and biomarker discovery.

• The role of specific sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea, insomnia, RLS, RBD) as independent risk factors or early manifestations of ADRD.

• Studies on how improving sleep quality or treating sleep disorders impacts ADRD biomarkers, cognitive function, and disease progression.

• Bridging fundamental science to clinical applications, including the feasibility and utility of sleep biomarkers in clinical practice and drug development.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Sleep Biomarkers: Unlocking Predictive Pathways for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) Prevention