Interruptions to this type of sleep have been linked with a build-up in the brain of a protein called amyloid, which is one of the leading theories about how dementia develops.
The researchers noted that a lack of sleep may also make it harder for the brain to rid itself of toxins.
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Amyloid occurs naturally but high levels of it causes the protein to clump together and form plaques that cause 'tangles' in the brain and disrupt cell function.