Genetic Ancestry Partially Explains Sleep Difference

Researchers show a partial genetic basis for "racial differences in slow-wave sleep," suggesting that sleep-related therapies aimed at some genetic variants is possible, according to sciencedaily.

Scientists used 1,698 ancestry informative genetic markers, finding that greater African genetic ancestry was linked with less slow-wave sleep in African-American adults. African ancestry pointed out that there was 11 percent of "variation" in slow-wave sleep after it was adjusted for potential confounders. Even though a similar association was observed for 'delta power', no link with African ancestry was seen for sleep duration and efficiency.

"Our data are the first to show that race differences in slow-wave sleep may have an independent and significant genetic basis," said senior author Martica Hall, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. "Although all humans have the same set of genes, variations within the genes sometimes follow population-specific patterns. By identifying the specific genetic variants that influence slow-wave sleep, we can eventually develop population-specific treatment approaches and therapies for sleep."

Study results are published in the August issue of the journal Sleep.

Led by Hall and lead author Indrani Halder, the team looked at data from a community-based sample of 70 African-American adults and 101 European Americans who all had a mean age of about 60 years.

According to the authors, African-Americans have different proportions of "genetic admixture and exhibit a wide range of African genetic ancestry".

Among African-American participants looked into, they found that the percentage of African ancestry ranged between 10 percent and 88 percent, with a mean of 67 percent.