Introduction Those with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease report an elevated amount of sleep difficulties compared to age-matched controls. Sleep-based interventions may be especially useful for this group, such as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia or pharmacological interventions. Therefore, it is important to expand the current understanding of the nature of sleep difficulties in those with Alzheimer’s Disease. Methods Data from the 2018 Health and Retirement Survey was collected from 17,146 older adults. Poisson regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between Alzheimer’s Disease as diagnosed by a doctor and sleep difficulties. Individuals who reported no Alzheimer’s Disease in the previous wave (N=16,751) were asked if they had since become diagnosed. N=101 individuals reported incident Alzheimer’s Disease in the 2-year gap between assessments. Sleep difficulties were assessed by asking participants if they had difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep, waking up too early, and how rested they felt upon awakening. All 4 of these symptoms were coded as “never,” “sometimes,” or “often.” Results Unexpectedly, there was a significant decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease among those who reported difficulties maintaining sleep (IRR=0.9962; 95%CI[0.9936,0.9988]; p=0.004), and early morning awakenings (IRR=0.9961; 95%CI[0.9938,0.9984]; p=0.001) “sometimes”. When the model was adjusted for sex, race, ethnicity, age, and depression, a similar finding of decreased risk for Alzheimer’s Disease for those who reported difficulties maintaining sleep (IRR=0.9953; 95%CI[0.9927,0.9980]; p<0.001), and early morning awakenings (IRR=0.9954; 95%CI[0.9930,0.9978]; p=0.001), “sometimes” were maintained. Conclusion Although previous studies have shown that poor sleep may lead to increased risk of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, the present study, which examined longitudinal data from a large, national sample of older adults, found that there was no association between frequent sleep disturbances and 2-year incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease, and a small association between more mild symptoms and decreased risk. It is possible that the 2-year observation window was insufficient to detect effects. Also, there is a risk of measurement error in collecting self-reported data on sleep and Alzheimer’s diagnoses. Support (If Any) The HRS (Health and Retirement Study) is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (grant number NIA U01AG009740) and is conducted by the University of Michigan.
Introduction Sleep disorders such as insomnia are seen in the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Simultaneously, sleep disorders may indicate increased risk for the development of dementia. Due to the rate of comorbidity of these two conditions seen in the elderly population, the relationship between dementia and sleep disorders is a topic of interest for researchers. A bidirectional correlation between the two could have important implications in the clinical field exploring factors that lead to dementia Methods Data was assessed from 17,146 older adults from the 2018 Health and Retirement Survey. Participants were surveyed using questionnaires regarding both incident dementia or serious memory impairment in the past 2 years and the presence of a sleep disorder, as diagnosed by a doctor or health professional. Those who reported no dementia in the previous wave (N=16,547) were asked if they had been diagnosed since they were last asked. N=185 individuals reported incident dementia in the 2-years between assessments. Responses were coded to either “Yes” or “No”. A Poisson regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between incident dementia and sleep disorders. Results In a sample of older adults, unadjusted results indicate that having a sleep disorder was associated with a 0.6% increased risk of new onset dementia (PRR=1.006; 95%CI[1.001,1.012]; p=0.026). These results were sustained when adjusted for sex, age, race, ethnicity, and depression (PRR=1.006; 95%CI[1.001,1.012]; p=0.013). Conclusion Chronic sleep disturbances may be a factor used to indicate increased risk for dementia and help with early detection of the disease. These results demonstrate the value of sleep disorders screening among those at risk for dementia. Further research is needed to clarify these findings (e.g., explore specific sleep disorders) and expand the follow-up window (i.e., beyond 2 years). Support (If Any) The HRS (Health and Retirement Study) is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (grant number NIA U01AG009740) and is conducted by the University of Michigan.
Introduction Insufficient sleep and sleep disorders have been previously associated with worse cognitive outcomes, such as worse memory performance. This analysis aims to assess the relationship between diagnosed sleep disorder and memory change over a period of two years. Methods N=17,156 older adults residing in the United States were assessed using the Health and Retirement Survey (Core) in 2018, with additional variables obtained in the previous wave (2016 on the same participants). Those who reported no sleep disorder in either wave were categorized as “no sleep disorder,” and they were compared to those who reported a sleep disorder in both waves (“sustained sleep disorder”) or one wave but not the other (“new sleep disorder” or “remitted sleep disorder.” Memory change was assessed using a survey item asking if the respondent’s memory was “worse”, “better”, or “the same” as compared to two years prior. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between these variables, and results were adjusted for sex, age, race, ethnicity, and depression. Results In adjusted results, those who reported that their memory improved were 124% (OR=2.24; 95%CI[1.51, 3.31]; p<0.001) more likely to have a sleep disorder that was remitted in the past 2 years. Those who reported that their memory worsened were 103% more likely to have a new sleep disorder (OR=2.03; 95%CI[1.65,2.50]; p<0.001), and 58% more likely to have a sustained sleep disorder (OR=1.58; 95%CI[1.40,1.77]; p<0.001). Interestingly, those whose memory worsened were also 39% more likely to have a remitted sleep disorder (OR=1.35; 95%CI[1.10,1.77]; p=0.006). Conclusion In older adults, there is a relationship between change in memory function and sleep disorders, such that improved memory is associated with improved sleep and worsened memory is associated with worse sleep or sustained sleep problems. Unfortunately, the specific sleep disorders associated were not reported. Future work should examine these effects in terms of specific sleep disorders, additional effect modifiers/covariates, and the role of sleep health in improving memory function. Support (If Any) The HRS (Health and Retirement Study) is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (grant number NIA U01AG009740) and is conducted by the University of Michigan.
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