Actigraphic sleep patterns and cognitive decline in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Alzheimers Dement. 2021 Jun;17(6):959-968. doi: 10.1002/alz.12250. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

Abstract

Introduction: We determined if actigraphy-derived sleep patterns led to 7-year cognitive decline in middle-aged to older Hispanic/Latino adults.

Methods: We examined 1035 adults, 45 to 64 years of age, from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Participants had repeated measures of cognitive function 7 years apart, home sleep apnea studies, and 1 week of actigraphy. Survey linear regression evaluated prospective associations between sleep and cognitive change, adjusting for main covariates.

Results: Longer sleep-onset latency was associated with declines in global cognitive function, verbal learning, and verbal memory. Longer sleep-onset latency was also cross-sectionally associated with verbal learning, verbal memory, and word fluency. Sleep fragmentation was not associated with cognitive change.

Conclusion: In a cohort of mostly middle-aged Hispanic/Latinos, actigraphy-derived sleep-onset latency predicted 7-year cognitive change. These findings may serve as targets for sleep interventions of cognitive decline.

Keywords: Hispanic/Latinos; actigraphy; cognitive decline; cohort studies; risk factors in epidemiology; sleep.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Actigraphy / statistics & numerical data*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Prospective Studies
  • Public Health*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sleep / physiology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States