Too Little, Too Much Sleep Tied to Impaired Cognition
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Short and long sleep duration in older individuals are both associated with impaired cognition, new research suggests. However, imaging data reveal only short sleep is linked to greater amyloid beta (Aβ) burden. In a large, cross-sectional study of patients older than 64 years, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were .08 points lower among those with short sleep duration vs individuals with normal sleep duration, while Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) scores were 1.17 points lower in the long sleep group vs the normal sleep group.
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@vishal Aging is often accompanied by sleep changes that vary widely between individuals. Previous research shows a link between sleep disruption and cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sleep duration also influences cognitive health. Short sleep has been linked to greater amyloid beta burden, an outcome viewed as a preclinical stage of AD. However, small sample sizes and the low prevalence of long sleep duration data have hampered understanding of the potentially distinct factors between the two sleep types.