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An Australian-led research team suggests that frequent distressing dreams might be an early indicator of dementia risk. Their study tracked over 10,000 individuals aged between 60 and 89 over a period, focusing on how often these participants experienced unsettling dreams each week.
The researchers categorized these unsettling dreams as nightmares or bad dreams—intense experiences that can awaken the dreamer.
Dr. Darren Lipnicki, the study’s lead author, explained, “Nightmares are the disturbing dreams that wake a person up, but there are also other intense dreams that don’t necessarily interrupt sleep but have similar emotional impact.”
Approximately 25% of the participants reported having disturbing dreams. This international study, involving experts from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, identified a potential connection between frequent bad dreams and an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.
Nearly a quarter of all participants said they experience disturbing dreams, and the study, an international collaboration featuring scientists from Europe, Asia and the Americas, has found a potential link to having more bad dreams and developing dementia later in life.
Adults between 60-69 who reported experiencing bad dreams are four times more likely to develop dementia.
“We found the strongest association in people in their 60s, which may suggest that disturbing dreams could be an early marker of dementia risk for some individuals,” Lipnicki said.
Researchers say the do not know the reason why bad dreams and dementia could be linked, but they believe it could be a sign of early changes in the brain chemistry, as well as the impacts of long-term chronic stress on the brain.
It found men were far more likely to experience this link, with Lipnicki stating there was little evidence for women to be affected by this new phenomenon.
“I think the reason for this has to do with the pathology and the type of dementia that’s involved,” he said.
However, he was at pains to suggest it wasn’t a set in stone finding, instead that it could be used to guide future research on the issue.
This is especially important as our population begins to age.
“It’s important to emphasise that not everyone who experiences disturbing dreams will go on to develop dementia,” he said.
“However, the findings suggest that frequent disturbing dreams – particularly in men and adults in their 60s – may warrant further investigation in future research.”
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