Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 9, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
Sleep symptomatology is associated with greater subjective cognitive concerns: findings from the community-based
Jessica Nicolazzo1, Katharine Xu2, Alexandra Lavale1
1The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Study Objectives:
To examine if sleep symptomatology was associated with subjective cognitive concerns or objective cognitive performance in a dementia-free community-based sample.
Methods:
A total of 1,421 middle-aged participants (mean ± standard deviation = 57 ± 7; 77% female) from the Healthy Brain Project completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale to measure sleep quality, insomnia symptom severity, and daytime sleepiness, respectively. Participants were classified as having no sleep symptomatology (normal scores on each sleep measure), moderate sleep symptomatology (abnormal scores on one sleep measure), or high sleep symptomatology (abnormal scores on at least two sleep measures), using established cutoff values. Analysis of covariance was used to compare objective cognitive function (Cogstate Brief Battery) and subjective cognitive concerns (Modified Cognitive Function Instrument) across groups.
Results:
Following adjustments for age, sex, education, mood, and vascular risk factors, persons classified as having high sleep symptomatology, versus none, displayed more subjective cognitive concerns (d = 0.24) but no differences in objective cognitive performance (d = 0.00-0.18). Subjective cognitive concerns modified the association between sleep symptomatology and psychomotor function. The strength of the relationship between high sleep symptomatology (versus none) and psychomotor function was significantly greater in persons with high as compared with low cognitive concerns (β ± SE = -0.37 ± 0.16; p = 0.02).
Conclusions:
More severe sleep symptomatology was associated with greater subjective cognitive concerns. Persons reporting high levels of sleep symptomatology may be more likely to display poorer objective cognitive function in the presence of subjective cognitive concerns.
Related Concept Videos
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Insomnia
Multiple factors contribute...
Sleep-Wake Cycles
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
Understanding Sleep
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...

