Daytime Sleepiness Is Associated with Lower Cognitive Scores: The Look AHEAD Study
K M Hayden1, A Anderson2, A P Spira3,4,5
1Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
JAR Life
|July 17, 2023
Summary
Frequent daytime sleepiness in older adults with type 2 diabetes is linked to poorer cognitive function over time. This highlights the importance of addressing sleep issues for brain health in at-risk populations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sleep Medicine
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Daytime sleepiness is prevalent in older adults, often stemming from poor nighttime sleep due to sleep disorders.
- This sleepiness may be associated with cognitive decline in this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between self-reported daytime sleepiness and cognitive function.
- Examined this relationship within the context of the Look AHEAD clinical trial.
Main Methods:
- Observational follow-up of a randomized clinical trial involving 1,778 participants (aged 45-76) with type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity.
- Assessed self-reported daytime sleepiness at baseline and years 12-13, and cognitive function at years 12-13 and 18-20.
Main Results:
- Participants reporting frequent daytime sleepiness performed significantly worse on a cognitive composite score.
- In the intensive lifestyle intervention group, frequent daytime sleepiness was associated with poorer performance on Digit Symbol Coding and Trail Making Part-B.
- Daytime sleepiness showed statistical interactions with race/ethnicity, APOE ε4 status, cardiovascular disease history, and depression.
Conclusions:
- Long-term daytime sleepiness predicted poorer cognitive performance in older adults with diabetes and overweight/obesity.
- These findings underscore the link between sleep disturbances and cognitive health in high-risk individuals.
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