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Effect of 1 night of total sleep deprivation on cerebrospinal fluid β-amyloid 42 in healthy middle-aged men: a randomized clinical trial
Ooms S, Overeem S, Besse K, Rikkert MO, Verbeek M, Claassen JA.. JAMA neurology, 2014-08-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Importance Increasing evidence suggests a relationship between poor sleep and the risk of developing Alzheimer disease. A previous study found an effect of sleep on β-amyloid (Aβ), which is a key protein in Alzheimer disease pathology. Objective To determine the effect of 1 night of total sleep deprivation on cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 protein levels in healthy middle-aged men. Design, setting, and participants The Alzheimer, Wakefulness, and Amyloid Kinetics (AWAKE) study at the Radboud Alzheimer Center, a randomized clinical trial that took place between June 1, 2012, and October 1, 2012. Participants were cognitively normal middle-aged men (40-60 years of age) with normal sleep (n = 26) recruited from the local population. Interventions Participants were randomized to 1 night with unrestricted sleep (n = 13) or 1 night of total sleep deprivation (24 hours of wakefulness) (n = 13). Main outcomes and measures Sleep was monitored using continuous polysomnographic recording from 3 pm until 10 am. Cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected using an intrathecal catheter at defined times to compare cerebral Aβ42 concentrations between evening and morning. Results A night of unrestricted sleep led to a 6% decrease in Aβ42 levels of 25.3 pg/mL (95% CI [0.94, 49.6], P = .04), whereas sleep deprivation counteracted this decrease. When accounting for the individual trajectories of Aβ42 over time, a difference of 75.8 pg/mL of Aβ42 was shown between the unrestricted sleep and sleep deprivation group (95% CI [3.4, 148.4], P = .04). The individual trajectories of evening and morning Aβ42 concentrations differed between the unrestricted sleep and sleep deprivation groups (P = .04) in contrast to stable Aβ40, tau, and total protein levels. Conclusions and relevance Sleep deprivation, or prolonged wakefulness, interferes with a physiological morning decrease in Aβ42. We hypothesize that chronic sleep deprivation increases cerebral Aβ42 levels, which elevates the risk of Alzheimer disease. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01194713.
Key findings
- Results A night of unrestricted sleep led to a 6% decrease in Aβ42 levels of 25.3 pg/mL (95% CI [0.94, 49.6], P = .04), whereas sleep deprivation counteracted this decrease.
Why it matters
In this small randomized trial of 26 healthy middle-aged men, one night of unrestricted sleep led to a 6% decrease in cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 levels, while sleep deprivation counteracted this decrease. This suggests that sleep may affect Aβ42 levels, but the study was small and in healthy people, not patients with Alzheimer disease.
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Study details
- Participants26
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 70/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Neurology: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 26 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 434 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 31.0 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 18 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 127 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jurgen A.H.R. Claassen: h-index 56 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Radboud University Nijmegen: institution h-index 1,143 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24887018) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 70 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1173
- PubMed: 24887018
- Original source →
- Free full text: repository.ubn.ru.nl →
Full text: free to read — Unpaywall lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Ooms, S., Overeem, S., Besse, K., Rikkert, M. O., Verbeek, M., & Claassen, J. A. (2014). Effect of 1 night of total sleep deprivation on cerebrospinal fluid β-amyloid 42 in healthy middle-aged men: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1173
Vancouver
Ooms S, Overeem S, Besse K, Rikkert MO, Verbeek M, Claassen JA. Effect of 1 night of total sleep deprivation on cerebrospinal fluid β-amyloid 42 in healthy middle-aged men: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA neurology. 2014. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1173. PMID: 24887018.
BibTeX
@article{ooms2014-24887018,
author = {Ooms, S. and Overeem, S. and Besse, K. and Rikkert, M. O. and Verbeek, M. and Claassen, J. A.},
title = {{Effect of 1 night of total sleep deprivation on cerebrospinal fluid β-amyloid 42 in healthy middle-aged men: a randomized clinical trial}},
journal = {JAMA neurology},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1173},
pmid = {24887018},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1173}
}
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