Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patients

Background: This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-reported sleep disturbances (e.g., insomnia, REM sleep behavior disorder [RBD]) and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Methods: We conduc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Min Chen, Gongbing Guo, Shuangyu Liu, Jingjing Cai, Xueying Tong, Xia Liu, Yufei Zhang, Yanhong Chen, Jiangtao Huo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Experimental Gerontology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556525000919
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850186652287238144
author Min Chen
Gongbing Guo
Shuangyu Liu
Jingjing Cai
Xueying Tong
Xia Liu
Yufei Zhang
Yanhong Chen
Jiangtao Huo
author_facet Min Chen
Gongbing Guo
Shuangyu Liu
Jingjing Cai
Xueying Tong
Xia Liu
Yufei Zhang
Yanhong Chen
Jiangtao Huo
author_sort Min Chen
collection DOAJ
description Background: This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-reported sleep disturbances (e.g., insomnia, REM sleep behavior disorder [RBD]) and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing 100 PD patients (observation group) with 100 age-matched controls. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and serum levels of amyloid-beta (Aβ1-42), α-synuclein, and inflammatory markers (CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β) were quantified. Results: PD patients exhibited significantly poorer sleep quality (PSQI total score: 2.11 ± 0.27 vs. 0.52 ± 0.02, P < 0.001), reduced parietal cortical thickness (2.68 ± 0.12 mm vs. 3.15 ± 0.18 mm, P = 0.003), and lower brainstem volume (2697.42 ± 147.05 mm3 vs. 3185.16 ± 255.41 mm3, P = 0.007) compared to controls. Biomarker profiling revealed elevated amyloid pathology in PD, with higher serum Aβ1-42 (median [IQR]: 1.98 [1.75–2.22] vs. 1.14 [1.10–1.19], P < 0.001) and α-synuclein (2.03 [1.85–2.22] vs. 1.06 [1.03–1.10], P < 0.001). Proinflammatory markers were markedly increased in PD, including CRP (9.30 [7.85–10.75] vs. 6.30 [5.60–7.10], P = 0.01), TNF-α (372.20 [329.85–414.55] vs. 184.50 [165.20–203.80], P < 0.001), and IL-1β (573.50 [497.15–649.85] vs. 115.40 [101.05–129.75], P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified cortical thinning, brainstem atrophy, and IL-1β elevation as independent predictors of sleep disturbances (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings highlight the interplay between neuroanatomical changes, amyloid pathology, and systemic inflammation in PD-related sleep dysfunction, suggesting potential therapeutic targets.
format Article
id doaj-art-3e263e2cd79e4808a33c47b00fb96f82
institution OA Journals
issn 1873-6815
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Experimental Gerontology
spelling doaj-art-3e263e2cd79e4808a33c47b00fb96f822025-08-20T02:16:18ZengElsevierExperimental Gerontology1873-68152025-06-0120511276210.1016/j.exger.2025.112762Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patientsMin Chen0Gongbing Guo1Shuangyu Liu2Jingjing Cai3Xueying Tong4Xia Liu5Yufei Zhang6Yanhong Chen7Jiangtao Huo8Department of Geriatrics, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaDepartment of General Practitioner, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaOut-patient Department, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaDepartment of Geriatrics, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaChinese Medicine Rehabilitation Comprehensive Department, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China; Corresponding author.Department of Geriatrics, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China; Correspondence to: J. Huo, Department of Geriatrics, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, 30 South Renmin Road, 442000 Shiyan, Hubei, China.Background: This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-reported sleep disturbances (e.g., insomnia, REM sleep behavior disorder [RBD]) and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing 100 PD patients (observation group) with 100 age-matched controls. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and serum levels of amyloid-beta (Aβ1-42), α-synuclein, and inflammatory markers (CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β) were quantified. Results: PD patients exhibited significantly poorer sleep quality (PSQI total score: 2.11 ± 0.27 vs. 0.52 ± 0.02, P < 0.001), reduced parietal cortical thickness (2.68 ± 0.12 mm vs. 3.15 ± 0.18 mm, P = 0.003), and lower brainstem volume (2697.42 ± 147.05 mm3 vs. 3185.16 ± 255.41 mm3, P = 0.007) compared to controls. Biomarker profiling revealed elevated amyloid pathology in PD, with higher serum Aβ1-42 (median [IQR]: 1.98 [1.75–2.22] vs. 1.14 [1.10–1.19], P < 0.001) and α-synuclein (2.03 [1.85–2.22] vs. 1.06 [1.03–1.10], P < 0.001). Proinflammatory markers were markedly increased in PD, including CRP (9.30 [7.85–10.75] vs. 6.30 [5.60–7.10], P = 0.01), TNF-α (372.20 [329.85–414.55] vs. 184.50 [165.20–203.80], P < 0.001), and IL-1β (573.50 [497.15–649.85] vs. 115.40 [101.05–129.75], P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified cortical thinning, brainstem atrophy, and IL-1β elevation as independent predictors of sleep disturbances (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings highlight the interplay between neuroanatomical changes, amyloid pathology, and systemic inflammation in PD-related sleep dysfunction, suggesting potential therapeutic targets.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556525000919Parkinson's diseaseSleep disturbancesCortical thicknessBrainstem volumeAmyloid-betaInflammation
spellingShingle Min Chen
Gongbing Guo
Shuangyu Liu
Jingjing Cai
Xueying Tong
Xia Liu
Yufei Zhang
Yanhong Chen
Jiangtao Huo
Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patients
Experimental Gerontology
Parkinson's disease
Sleep disturbances
Cortical thickness
Brainstem volume
Amyloid-beta
Inflammation
title Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patients
title_full Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patients
title_fullStr Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patients
title_full_unstemmed Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patients
title_short Investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness, brainstem volume, amyloid accumulation, and inflammatory markers in Parkinson's disease patients
title_sort investigating the relationship between sleep disturbances and cortical thickness brainstem volume amyloid accumulation and inflammatory markers in parkinson s disease patients
topic Parkinson's disease
Sleep disturbances
Cortical thickness
Brainstem volume
Amyloid-beta
Inflammation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556525000919
work_keys_str_mv AT minchen investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT gongbingguo investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT shuangyuliu investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT jingjingcai investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT xueyingtong investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT xialiu investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT yufeizhang investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT yanhongchen investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients
AT jiangtaohuo investigatingtherelationshipbetweensleepdisturbancesandcorticalthicknessbrainstemvolumeamyloidaccumulationandinflammatorymarkersinparkinsonsdiseasepatients