Current opinion in physiologyNov 27, 2025

Circadian disruption may be connected to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias through inflammation in the body.

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jan 2, 2026

Abstract

Circadian rhythms are crucial for immune balance and may affect Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRDs).

Disruption of circadian rhythms could be linked to inflammation that contributes to cognitive decline in ADRDs.
Circadian misalignment may worsen neuroinflammation by activating the peripheral immune system.
Factors like insulin dysregulation, melatonin levels, and gut microbiome imbalances may increase peripheral inflammation.
Restoring circadian integrity may offer potential treatments for alleviating ADRDs.

Simplified

Circadian rhythms are essential for maintaining physiological homeostasis, influencing biological processes from the sleep-wake cycle to metabolism and immune responses. Disruption of these rhythms is increasingly linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRDs), conditions characterized by cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms through various pathways including increases in inflammation. While many studies link the effects of circadian disruption on neuroinflammation to ADRDs, this review explores the potential link between the circadian disruption of peripheral inflammation and ADRDs. We discuss the evidence of how circadian misalignment can exacerbate neuroinflammation through the activation of the peripheral immune system. We further examine the role of peripheral factors such as insulin dysregulation, melatonin levels, and gut microbiome imbalances in amplifying these peripheral inflammatory responses. These data underscore the significance of circadian regulation in maintaining immune homeostasis, highlighting potential therapeutic avenues for mitigating ADRDs through the restoration of circadian integrity.

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Competing interests

Declaration of interests The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jennifer Marie Hurley reports financial support was provided by NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Jennifer Marie Hurley reports financial support was provided by Warren Alpert Foundation. Carmalena Vincenza Cordi reports financial support was provided by National Institute on Aging. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

PubMed

Circadian disruption may be connected to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias through inflammation in the body.

Abstract

Full Text

Funding

Competing interests

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Abstract

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Funding

Competing interests

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