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

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.

The Hierarchy of Coupled Sleep Oscillations Reverses with Aging in Humans.

A well orchestrated coupling hierarchy of slow waves and spindles during slow-wave sleep supports memory consolidation. In old age, the duration of slow-wave sleep and the number of coupling events decrease. The coupling hierarchy deteriorates, predicting memory loss and brain atrophy.