Complaints of daytime sleepiness, insomnia, hypnotic use, and risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study in the elderly

Background Sleep disturbances are common in elderly and occur frequently in dementia. The impact of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), insomnia complaints, sleep quality, and hypnotics on the risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD), and dementia with vascular component (DVC) remains unclear, as does the association between sleep profile and plasma beta-amyloid levels. Methods Analyses were carried out on 6851 participants aged 65 years and over randomly recruited from three French cities and free of dementia at baseline. A structured interview and self-questionnaire assessed sleep complaints (EDS, insomnia complaints, sleep quality) and medications at baseline. Incident cases of dementia were diagnosed systematically over a 12-year period. Multivariate Cox models were used to estimate the risk of dementia associated with the sleep complaints considered individually and globally. Plasma beta-amyloid levels were measured by an xMAP-based assay technology in 984 subjects. Results After adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, APOE-epsilon 4, cardiovascular factors, and depressive status, EDS had a higher risk of all-cause dementia (HR = 1.21; 95%CI = [1.01-1.46]) and DVC (HR = 1.58; 95%CI = [1.07-2.32]) but not AD. Persistent use of hypnotics increased the risk for all-cause dementia, specifically AD (HR = 1.28; 95%CI = [1.04-1.58]), but not DVC. No association was found for insomnia complaints and sleep quality taken as individual factors or combined with EDS on the risk of dementia. No association was found between beta-amyloid, sleep complaints, and incident dementia. Conclusions The results suggest a deleterious role of EDS and hypnotics on dementia. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms involved in these associations and whether its management can prevent the risk of dementia.

Automated summary

Sleep disturbances are associated with dementia in the elderly, with excessive daytime sleepiness and hypnotics increasing the risk of dementia, while insomnia complaints and sleep quality are unrelated. Further research is needed to determine if managing sleep disturbances can prevent dementia.