Circadian rhythm disturbance in agitation of Alzheimer's disease

Agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease (Agit‐AD) is a major cause of burden for caregivers and may be driven by disrupted circadian rhythms and sleep. The circadian clock that generates these rhythms regulates patterns in mood, wakefulness, and other physiologic processes, such as body temperature and hormone levels. This project aims to examine if agitated AD subjects (AgitAD+) exhibit delayed circadian phase and lower rhythm strength compared to non‐agitated AD subjects (AgitAD‐) and healthy controls. We will additionally compare sleep amount, sleep quality, and degree of sleep disordered breathing among AgitAD+ vs. AgitAD‐ and healthy controls.