Later-life sleep, cognition, and neuroimaging research: an update for 2020. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alfini, Alfonso J; Tzuang, Marian; Owusu, Jocelynn T; Spira, Adam P
• Is Part Of: Current opinion in behavioral sciences. Volume 33(2020)
• Page Start: 72
• Page End: 77
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.12.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-1546

Abstract

Highlights: Both short and long sleep duration are tied to lower cognitive performance. Insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing are linked to cognitive dysfunction. Reports of poor sleep are tied to brain atrophy and altered connectivity. Sleep fragmentation is linked with cortical thinning and microstructural damage. Studies examining effects of treating sleep on later-life cognition are needed. Abstract : This review summarizes recent studies of sleep and brain health in later life, focusing on cognitive and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived outcomes. The majority of older people report sleep problems, and over one-third have sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). The research described herein builds on work demonstrating that abnormal sleep duration, sleep fragmentation, and SDB are associated with memory impairment and executive dysfunction. Self-reported short sleep is linked with greater cortical thinning and lower white matter integrity, and objectively measured fragmentation and SDB are tied to gray matter atrophy and altered connectivity. Results suggest that brain changes mediate previously identified sleep-cognition associations. Additional clinical trials are needed to determine whether treating insomnia or SDB benefits cognition in this population.