UB nursing researcher examines link between sleep, brain health

UB nursing faculty member Carleara Weiss is continuing her work on sleep health with a new National Institutes of Health grant to examine the relationship among biomarkers of neurodegeneration, sleep disturbances and cognitive decline.

With a $747,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging, Weiss, assistant professor of nursing, will study how nicotinamide riboside (NR), a type of vitamin B3, affects sleep and memory in older adults. She will look at the levels of NAD+ in the blood and check for signs of brain health.

NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a molecule found in all living cells that plays a critical role in energy production and cell repair. NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, which can affect energy levels and cell function.

The study will also track brain health using biomarkers, including proteins and other indicators of neurodegeneration.

Biomarkers are measurable substances in living organisms that researchers look at to determine how well someone responds to a treatment or tissues that show signs of normal/abnormal body processes or diseases.

“Investigating biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in association with sleep is critical to improving our understanding of two age-related conditions: sleep disturbances and cognitive decline,” says Weiss, who in recent years has established herself as a nationally recognized expert in how sleep affects health, in particular among vulnerable populations including older adults, veterans and those with Alzheimer’s.

“Most older adults experience these changes as they age; however, little is known about a timeframe or prevention pathway in which the combination of these factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers means a definitive diagnosis.

“Anyone interested in healthy aging who has trouble sleeping should follow this study's outcomes closely.”

Weiss’s ongoing work on the relationship between sleep and health includes plans to establish the School of Nursing’s first wet lab. The lab will have spacious benches and dedicated space for data collection, along with state-of-the-art equipment like ultralow freezers, PCR, Western blotting and multiplex ELISA for biomarker analysis of serum, plasma and other tissues. The lab, currently in its final stages of renovation, will allow for collaboration with the School of Public Health and Health Professions, the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and Yale Medicine.

“This is instrumental for my research,” Weiss says of the lab, “as I investigate biomarkers of neurodegeneration. In addition, it opens opportunities for collaborative research.”

Weiss’ previous research tested the feasibility and acceptability of NR for sleep and cognitive function with a small sample group, which she credits with helping her grow as an independent researcher and community partner.

Building on these initial findings, Weiss’ next research phase will integrate insights from the first stage, the new research laboratory and novel technologies to examine the intricate relationships among sleep, cognitive decline and biomarkers of neurodegeneration.

“I am particularly interested in those impacted by social determinants of health, as they often have the worst outcomes in dementia care,” she says.

Weiss says her ultimate goal is to use the research to serve the community.

“As a Black Latina immigrant, first-generation,” she says, “I am building this research to empower others, from the students who join my team to the older adults and their family caregivers who will stay healthier longer.”