Acoustic stimulation during sleep predicts long-lasting increases in memory performance and beneficial amyloid response in older adults

Marina Wunderlin; Céline Jacqueline Zeller; Samira Rafaela Senti; Kristoffer Daniel Fehér; Debora Suppiger; Patric Wyss; Thomas Koenig; Charlotte Elisabeth Teunissen; Christoph Nissen; Stefan Klöppel; Marc A. Züst

doi:10.1093/ageing/afad228

journal article Open Access Dec 01, 2023

Acoustic stimulation during sleep predicts long-lasting increases in memory performance and beneficial amyloid response in older adults

Marina Wunderlin

Céline Jacqueline Zeller Samira Rafaela Senti Kristoffer Daniel Fehér Debora Suppiger Patric Wyss Thomas Koenig

Charlotte Elisabeth Teunissen Christoph Nissen

Stefan Klöppel Marc A. Züst

Age and Ageing Vol. 52 No. 12 · Oxford University Press (OUP)

View at Publisher Save 10.1093/ageing/afad228

Abstract

Abstract

Background
Sleep and neurodegeneration are assumed to be locked in a bi-directional vicious cycle. Improving sleep could break this cycle and help to prevent neurodegeneration. We tested multi-night phase-locked acoustic stimulation (PLAS) during slow wave sleep (SWS) as a non-invasive method to improve SWS, memory performance and plasma amyloid levels.

Methods
32 healthy older adults (agemean: 68.9) completed a between-subject sham-controlled three-night intervention, preceded by a sham-PLAS baseline night.

Results
PLAS induced increases in sleep-associated spectral-power bands as well as a 24% increase in slow wave-coupled spindles, known to support memory consolidation. There was no significant group-difference in memory performance or amyloid-beta between the intervention and control group. However, the magnitude of PLAS-induced physiological responses were associated with memory performance up to 3 months post intervention and beneficial changes in plasma amyloid. Results were exclusive to the intervention group.

Discussion
Multi-night PLAS is associated with long-lasting benefits in memory and metabolite clearance in older adults, rendering PLAS a promising tool to build upon and develop long-term protocols for the prevention of cognitive decline.

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Metrics

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Citations

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References

Details

Published: Dec 01, 2023
Vol/Issue: 52(12)
License: View

Authors

M

Marina Wunderlin

University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland; Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern , 3012 Bern , Switzerland

C

Céline Jacqueline Zeller

University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland; Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern , 3012 Bern , Switzerland

S

Samira Rafaela Senti

University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland

K

Kristoffer Daniel Fehér

University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland

D

Debora Suppiger

Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich , 8006 Zürich , Switzerland

P

Patric Wyss

University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland

T

Thomas Koenig

University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland

C

Charlotte Elisabeth Teunissen

Neurochemistry Laboratory , Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam UMC, , 1081 HV Amsterdam , Netherlands; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam UMC, , 1081 HV Amsterdam , Netherlands

C

Christoph Nissen

University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland; Division of Psychiatric Specialties, Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) , 1205 Geneva , Switzerland

S

Stefan Klöppel

University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland

M

Marc A. Züst

University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern , 3000 Bern , Switzerland

Funding

Peter Bockhoff Foundation

Dementia Research Switzerland—Synapsis Foundation

Dr. med. Kurt Fries-Foundation Award: 2021-CDA03

Cite This Article

Marina Wunderlin, Céline Jacqueline Zeller, Samira Rafaela Senti, et al. (2023). Acoustic stimulation during sleep predicts long-lasting increases in memory performance and beneficial amyloid response in older adults. Age and Ageing, 52(12). https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afad228

Acoustic stimulation during sleep predicts long-lasting increases in memory performance and beneficial amyloid response in older adults

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