Summary: A new study reveals that older adults who experience excessive daytime sleepiness or lack enthusiasm due to sleep issues may face a higher risk of developing a pre-dementia condition. The research, which followed 445 older adults over several years, found that those with sleep-related problems were three times more likely to develop motoric cognitive risk syndrome, a potential precursor to dementia.
Journal: Neurology, November 6, 2024 | Reading time: 4 minutes
The Sleep-Memory Connection
When it comes to brain health, how well you sleep during the night – and how alert you are during the day – might matter more than previously thought. A new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, has uncovered important links between sleep patterns and cognitive health.
The research focused on a condition called motoric cognitive risk syndrome, which can appear before dementia develops. People with this syndrome show a combination of slow walking speed and self-reported memory issues, though they don’t yet have mobility disabilities or dementia.
Tracking Sleep and Cognition
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine studied 445 people, averaging 76 years old, who didn’t have dementia when the study began. The team monitored participants’ sleep patterns, memory issues, and walking speed on a treadmill for an average of three years.
“Our findings emphasize the need for screening for sleep issues,” says study author Victoire Leroy, MD, PhD. “There’s potential that people could get help with their sleep issues and prevent cognitive decline later in life.”
A Clear Pattern Emerges
The findings were striking: 35.5% of participants with excessive daytime sleepiness and lack of enthusiasm developed motoric cognitive risk syndrome, compared to just 6.7% of those without these sleep-related problems. After accounting for factors like age, depression, and other health conditions, researchers found that people with these sleep issues were more than three times more likely to develop the syndrome.
The study examined various sleep-related challenges, including difficulty falling asleep within 30 minutes, waking during the night, and trouble staying awake during daily activities like driving or eating meals.
Looking Ahead
While the research shows a strong connection between sleep issues and cognitive risk, it doesn’t prove that sleep problems cause cognitive decline. The study had limitations, including reliance on participants self-reporting their sleep information.
“More research needs to be done to look at the relationship between sleep issues and cognitive decline and the role played by motoric cognitive risk syndrome,” Leroy notes. Further studies are needed to understand exactly how sleep disturbances might lead to cognitive decline.
Key Terms
- Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: A pre-dementia condition combining slow walking speed and memory complaints
- Cognitive Decline: A decrease in mental abilities such as memory and thinking skills
- Mobility Disability: Significant difficulty with physical movement and walking
- Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Unusual difficulty staying awake during normal daytime activities
Test Your Knowledge
- What age group did the study focus on?
Answer: People with an average age of 76 - What percentage of people with sleep problems developed the syndrome?
Answer: 35.5% - How long did researchers follow the participants on average?
Answer: Three years - What is one limitation of the study?
Answer: Participants reported their own sleep information, which may not have been completely accurate
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