Changes in Cognitive Performance Are Associated with Changes in Sleep in Older Adults With Insomnia

Abstract

The present study examined sleep features associated with cognition in older adults and examined whether sleep changes following insomnia treatment were associated with cognitive improvements. Polysomnography and cognition (recall, working memory, and reasoning) were assessed before and after an insomnia intervention (Brief Behavioral Treatment of Insomnia [BBTI] or information control [IC]) in 77 older adults with insomnia. Baseline wake-after-sleep-onset (WASO) was associated with recall. Greater NREM (nonrapid eye movement) delta power and lower NREM sigma power were associated with greater working memory and reasoning. The insomnia intervention did not improve performance. However, increased absolute delta power and decreased relative sigma power were associated with improved reasoning. Findings suggest that improvements in executive function may occur with changes in NREM architecture.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health grants AG020677, RR024153, and MH019986-16. The authors thank the AgeWise program staff of the Sleep and Chronobiology Center and the Neuroscience Clinical and Translational Research Center.