A drug used to treat insomnia has protected mice against the buildup of the tau protein found to clump abnormally in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. This could lead to new ways to help slow the progress of these diseases.

An increasing number of people are facing cognitive decline personally or in their loved ones. There are almost 10 million new cases of dementia globally each year, and despite decades of research, there are still few treatment options that provide clear benefits.

So due to the links between Alzheimer’s and poor sleep, Washington University neurologist Samira Parhizkar and colleagues investigated a central nervous system depressant, lemborexant, that was approved for use as a sleep aid by the FDA in December 2019.