Daytime Drowsiness Linked to a 'Pre-Dementia' Syndrome
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2024 -- Seniors who are drowsy during the day and find it hard to muster enthusiasm for activities could be at higher risk of a brain condition that precedes dementia, a new study warns.
These sleep-related problems are associated with "motoric cognitive risk syndrome," a pre-dementia condition that causes slow walking speed and some memory problems, researchers explained.
People with excessive daytime sleepiness and a lack of enthusiasm are more than three times more likely to develop this syndrome, compared to people without those sleep-related problems, researchers reported Nov. 6 in the journal Neurology.
“More research needs to be done to look at the relationship between sleep issues and cognitive decline and the role played by motoric cognitive risk syndrome,” said researcher Dr. Victoire Leroy, with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. “We also need studies to explain the mechanisms that link these sleep disturbances to motoric cognitive risk syndrome and cognitive decline.”
For the study, researchers recruited 445 people, average age 76, without dementia. These seniors filled out questionnaires about sleep habits and memory issues, and their walking speed was repeatedly tested on a treadmill.
About 177 people met the definition for poor sleepers, and 268 met the definition for good sleepers.
At the start of the study, 42 people had motoric cognitive risk syndrome. During the average three-year follow-up, another 36 people developed the condition.
About 36% of seniors with excessive daytime sleepiness and a lack of enthusiasm developed the syndrome, compared with about 7% of people without those sleep-related problems.
Still, the study can’t prove a direct link between these sleep-related problems and the pre-dementia syndrome, researchers noted.
However, it does demonstrate that good sleep will likely protect a person’s brain health in old age, researchers said.
“Our findings emphasize the need for screening for sleep issues,” Leroy said in an American Academy of Neurology news release. “There’s potential that people could get help with their sleep issues and prevent cognitive decline later in life.”
Sources
- American Academy of Neurology, news release, Nov. 6, 2024
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
Trees and Student Test Scores: What's the Link?
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2025 -- Tree-lined streets and lush public parks appear to provide city schoolkids a brain boost. Chicago students’ test scores suffered when an invasive...
Who Knew Talk Therapy Could Ease Symptoms of this Skin Problem?
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2025 -- Eczema can be maddening, causing thick, scaly patches of dry skin that itch like the devil. There’s no cure for the skin condition, but a new...
Fairy Tales Help Teach Healthy Sleep Habits
MONDAY, Dec. 23, 2024 -- Bedtime stories are a time-honored means of helping kids calm down and get a good night’s sleep. But these fairy tales can also serve another less...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.