Poor dream recall associates with Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers and dementia risk
medRxiv September 17, 2025 Darren M. Lipnicki, Meritxell Valenti, Elizabeth Valeriano-Lorenzo et al. 1 citation preprint
Dreaming relies on the default mode network (DMN), which is disrupted by early Alzheimer's pathology and the APOE ε4 genetic risk factor. In 1049 cognitively normal older adults, higher blood levels of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) 217 and carrying the APOE ε4 allele were each independently linked to a lower chance of recalling dreams, regardless of memory test performance. Not recalling dreams at the start of the study predicted faster cognitive decline and a greater likelihood of developing dementia over a 10-year follow-up. Poor dream recall in later life may serve as a simple, early indicator of neurodegeneration.