Associations between afternoon napping, left amygdala volume and cognitive performance in elderly with normal...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• The link between afternoon napping and cognitive function in older adults is complex and not well understood.
• Mechanisms underlying the relationship between napping and cognitive decline require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between afternoon napping and cognitive performance in community-dwelling elders.
• To explore the potential role of the left amygdala in the relationship between napping and cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• 194 community elders with normal cognitive function were assessed.
• Participants were divided into napping (n=88) and non-napping (n=106) groups.
• Cognitive performance and structural MRI were compared between groups.

Main Results:

• Nappers exhibited poorer overall and domain-specific cognitive performance compared to non-nappers.
• A significant negative association was found between afternoon napping and left amygdala volume in the whole sample.
• Night sleep duration and napping frequency did not significantly affect cognitive performance or amygdala volume.

Conclusions:

• Afternoon napping in cognitively normal elders is associated with diminished cognitive performance.
• The left amygdala may be a key brain structure involved in the relationship between afternoon napping and cognitive function.