Study Links Increased Daytime Sleepiness in Elderly Women to Higher Dementia Risk

Research finds women in their eighties with worsening daytime sleepiness over five years face double the risk of dementia, highlighting sleep patterns as potential early markers.

• The study, published in Neurology, followed 733 women aged 65 and older without cognitive impairment or dementia at baseline over five years.
• Participants with increasing daytime sleepiness were found to have double the dementia risk compared to those with stable sleep patterns, even after adjusting for factors like age and health conditions.
• Researchers identified three sleep pattern groups: stable or improving sleep, declining nighttime sleep, and increasing sleepiness, with the latter linked to the highest dementia risk.
• No significant association was found between declining nighttime sleep and dementia risk, underscoring the unique role of daytime sleepiness changes.
• The study’s findings are limited by its predominantly white participant group and do not establish causation, calling for further research in diverse populations.

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