Alzheimer’s disease destroys neurons that keep us awake

Researchers have noted excessive daytime napping can develop long before memory problems of Alzheimer’s disease appear. Prior studies considered excessive daytime napping compensation for poor nighttime sleep caused by Alzheimer’s-related disruptions in sleep-promoting brain regions; others argued that the sleep problems contribute to progression of the disease. But now scientists have provided a new explanation for this phenomenon, showing that Alzheimer’s disease directly attacks brain regions responsible for daytime wakefulness.