Association of co-existence of insomnia with cognitive decline on BDNF concentration in serum samples from older adults

Abstract

Abstract Aging has been defined as a biological process characterized by the functional decline of organs and systems leading to vulnerability and a susceptible state for developing neuronal, musculoskeletal, behavioral, and cardiovascular diseases and disorders. Sleep disorders, including insomnia, are common during aging, and these conditions have been associated with memory and cognitive decline in older adults. However, the molecular bases of such phenomenon have not been thoroughly described. Moreover, during the aging process, neurotransmitters, neurohormones, and neurotrophins decrease significantly, leading to the impairment of cognitive functions. In this sense, BDNF, the most abundant neurotrophic factor in the human brain, has been suggested as a potential target for the prevention and improvement of cognitive decline during aging; however, the current evidence demonstrates the exogenous administration of BDNF does not improve cognitive function. Hence, in the present study, we quantified pro-BDNF (inactive) and BDNF (active) concentrations in serum samples derived from older individuals with insomnia and/or cognitive decline. We used linear regression to analyze whether clinical or sociodemographic variables impacted the levels of BNDF concentration. We observed that insomnia, rather than cognitive decline, is significantly associated with BDNF concentration, and these effects are independent of other variables. To our knowledge, this is the first study that points to the impact of insomnia on improving the levels of BDNF during aging and suggests that opportune treatment of insomnia may be more beneficial to prevent cognitive decline during aging.