Investigating Bone Marrow Hematopoiesis as the Link Between Sleep Fragmentation and Vascular Inflammation in AD

How sleep influences Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is poorly understood. We know that many AD patients experience disturbed sleep, but the biological pathways that link sleep to AD are unclear. Our preliminary data support the hypothesis that poor sleep leads to inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain, which consequently worsens AD. We will test this hypothesis using advanced technologies and murine models of sleep fragmentation and AD. Firstly, we will study how sleep and AD alter the production of inflammatory immune cells. Secondly, we will interrogate how immune cells and their inflammatory products cause the breakdown of blood vessels in the brain. Our finding will begin to unravel the complex relationship between the immune system, sleep and AD. Studying previously unrecognized biological mechanisms and pathways will identify new anti-AD therapeutic opportunities.