Cerebrospinal Fluid Orexin Levels and Nocturnal Sleep Disruption in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients Showing Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. It is characterized by a progressive deterioration of cognition, frequently associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). Among NPS, sleep disturbances often affect AD patients. Orexinergic system dysregulation has been associated with sleep impairment in AD patients.Objective: The present study investigated CSF orexin levels in AD patients and their relationship with both NPS, measured by the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI), and sleep, measured via polysomnography.Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a previous study investigating CSF biomarkers, sleep impairment and cognitive decline in AD patients. AD patients completing the NPI were included in this analysis and distributed in two groups based on the presence (NPI score >= 4, AD/NPS+) or absence (NPI score