Sleep and cognitive deficits in older adults

There has been much research examining the effects of sleep problems on cognitive function, and on cognitive decline in older adults. However, little has been done to examine the subclinical, age-related sleep changes in older adults in relation to cognitive function. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the neuropsychological sequelae of mild sleep disordered breathing in community-dwelling older adults. It was found that desaturations, repeated decreases in blood oxygenation, negatively impacted blood oxygenation. Furthermore, desaturations had a negative relationship to performance on tests of attention, speed, and working memory. Moreover, deficits in attention, speed, and working memory were associated with poor performance on tests of verbal and visual long term episodic memory. Notably, EEG arousals, thought to be another component of sleep disordered breathing, were not related to desaturations or cognitive performance. Cardiovascular disease was also examined to determine is associations with the sleep, oxygenation, and cognitive variables. Although cardiovascular disease, particularly heart-related symptoms, was related to some aspects of sleep disordered breathing, it did not explain the relationship between desaturations and cognitive deficits