Connection between sleep and memory consolidation in elderly people with and without cognitive impairment

This thesis focuses on a connection between sleep and memory consolidation in people older than 55 years with and without cognitive impairment. The theoretical part discusses how sleep changes during aging and what influence these changes could have on cognitive functions (memory etc.). In a long-term perspective, sleep could play a role in a gradual decline of cognitive functions. Thus, modern researches focus on multifactorial causes of neurodegenerative diseases. These studies include those that examine a relationship between quality of sleep and cognitive functions. For better understanding this topic, these researches are described in this paper as well. In the second part of the thesis, a research design is outlined, which could clarify the relationship. It is examined by comparing memory consolidation of people older than 55 years with and without cognitive impairment. It is considered by amount of remembered material during a day/night. The study might discover, whether sleep disorders could play a role in the decline of cognitive functions during aging