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The study was conducted on 445 patients with an average age of 76 years, living in New York’s Westchester County.
A new study published in the journal Neurology has found a link between daytime sleepiness and early signs of dementia. (Representative Image)
Do you deal with daytime lethargy and lack of will during morning hours? While we may all feel listless on some days, frequent fatigue during the daytime may be more than exhaustion. A new study published in the journal Neurology has found a link between daytime sleepiness and early signs of dementia termed Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR). This syndrome is defined by slow gait and memory concerns in elderly people without full-blown dementia or severe mobility impairment.
Researchers have determined that 35.5% of older adults with excessive daytime sleepiness and poor motivation were diagnosed with MCR, as opposed to 6.7% of those without such symptoms. This shows that poor sleep is directly related to cognitive decline.
The study was conducted on 445 patients with an average age of 76 years, living in New York’s Westchester County. None of them had dementia at the beginning of the study and were followed up for an average of three years. Self-rated sleep quality was established with the help of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index which estimates basic parameters such as sleep length, sleep disturbances and dysfunction in subsequent days.
Further analysis of the observed conditions such as age, depression and health disorders showed that people experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness had over three times increased risk of developing MCR. Daytime dysfunction which comprises excessive sleepiness and reduced enthusiasm was the only sleep parameter significantly related to MCR.
The study’s lead author, Dr Victoire Leroy, noted that sleep is important in helping to eliminate neurotoxins from the brain and that sleep disturbance correlates with higher levels of Alzheimer ’s-related proteins. This means that focusing on controlling sleep problems might be crucial in avoiding neuro disorders.
The study also has a few limitations. Dr Tara Spires-Jones, director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, while talking to CNN noted, “The sleep measurements were self-reported, not measured by a scientist, and these self-reports could be biased by people with memory issues.” She also mentioned that future studies are needed on more varied populations for stronger inferences.
In case you’re dealing with sleep issues, it is advisable to consult a doctor to determine the root cause and make lifestyle modifications, if needed.
