Jana Thomas1,2,3, Sebastiaan Overeem4,5, Jurgen A H R Claassen6,7,8. 1. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, jana.thomas@radboudumc.nl. 2. Radboud Alzheimer Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, jana.thomas@radboudumc.nl. 3. Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, jana.thomas@radboudumc.nl. 4. Sleep Medicine Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands. 5. Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. 6. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 7. Radboud Alzheimer Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 8. Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Recent evidence suggests that poor sleep is a risk factor that contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most studies have focused on short-term effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function, whereas longitudinal studies are limited to self-reported sleep and the risk of later-life dementia. Because sleep loss could be an early manifestation of neurodegenerative disease, reverse causality in these studies cannot be excluded. OBJECTIVE: In this explorative, observational study, we investigated the effects of extended periods of extrinsically (work-related) caused sleep loss on later-life cognitive function, early dementia symptoms, and current sleep quality. METHODS: We approached a community of retired male maritime pilots (approx. n = 500) through a newsletter. We investigated 50 respondents (mean age 71.7 years ± 7.7), with a history of >25 years of work on irregular schedules, which resulted in extended periods of sleep loss. Validated questionnaires on cognitive complaints (Cognitive Failure Questionnaire [CFQ]), early dementia symptoms (Early Dementia Questionnaire [EDQ]), current sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] and sleep-wake diaries), quality of life (QoL, EQ-5D), and mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) were administered by a single investigator (J.T.), who also completed an observer rating of cognitive function. RESULTS: Scores on the CFQ, EDQ, PSQI, EQ-5D, and HADS were within normal ranges adjusted for age, sex, and education. The observer rating was not indicative of cognitive decline. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence that long-term exposure to work-related sleep loss had resulted in cognitive decline or early dementia symptoms in this sample of retired maritime pilots.
INTRODUCTION: Recent evidence suggests that poor sleep is a risk factor that contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most studies have focused on short-term effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function, whereas longitudinal studies are limited to self-reported sleep and the risk of later-life dementia. Because sleep loss could be an early manifestation of neurodegenerative disease, reverse causality in these studies cannot be excluded. OBJECTIVE: In this explorative, observational study, we investigated the effects of extended periods of extrinsically (work-related) caused sleep loss on later-life cognitive function, early dementia symptoms, and current sleep quality. METHODS: We approached a community of retired male maritime pilots (approx. n = 500) through a newsletter. We investigated 50 respondents (mean age 71.7 years ± 7.7), with a history of >25 years of work on irregular schedules, which resulted in extended periods of sleep loss. Validated questionnaires on cognitive complaints (Cognitive Failure Questionnaire [CFQ]), early dementia symptoms (Early Dementia Questionnaire [EDQ]), current sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] and sleep-wake diaries), quality of life (QoL, EQ-5D), and mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) were administered by a single investigator (J.T.), who also completed an observer rating of cognitive function. RESULTS: Scores on the CFQ, EDQ, PSQI, EQ-5D, and HADS were within normal ranges adjusted for age, sex, and education. The observer rating was not indicative of cognitive decline. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence that long-term exposure to work-related sleep loss had resulted in cognitive decline or early dementia symptoms in this sample of retired maritime pilots.
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Authors: Jana Thomas; Sebastiaan Overeem; Martin Dresler; Roy P C Kessels; Jurgen A H R Claassen Journal: J Sleep Res Date: 2020-06-08 Impact factor: 3.981