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Cognitive training improves sleep quality and cognitive function among older adults with insomnia
1Department of Psychology and the Center for Psychobiological Research, Yezreel Academic College, Emek Yezreel, Israel. i_haimov@yvc.ac.il
Plos One
|April 12, 2013
Summary
Personalized cognitive training improved sleep quality and cognitive function in older adults with insomnia. This home-based program enhanced memory and attention, promoting better sleep initiation and maintenance.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Insomnia is prevalent in older adults, impacting cognitive function.
- Cognitive training offers a potential non-pharmacological intervention for sleep disturbances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of an eight-week, home-based, personalized, computerized cognitive training program.
- To assess the program's impact on sleep quality and cognitive performance in older adults experiencing insomnia.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 51 older adults (65-85 years) with insomnia.
- Participants were assigned to either a cognitive training group or an active control group for eight weeks.
- Sleep quality and cognitive performance were assessed using actigraphy and cognitive tests before and after the intervention.
Main Results:
- The cognitive training group demonstrated significant improvements in sleep quality (sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency) and cognitive performance (attention, working memory, visual memory, general memory, naming).
- Specific cognitive improvements, such as enhanced visual scanning and naming, correlated with better sleep initiation and reduced awakenings.
- The control group showed cognitive decline in working memory, associated with increased sleep onset latency.
Conclusions:
- Personalized cognitive training facilitates new learning, which is crucial for improving sleep initiation and maintenance in older adults with insomnia.
- This approach offers a promising strategy for achieving combined cognitive and sleep enhancements in this population.
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