Ashley F Curtis1,2, Joseph M Dzierzewski3, Matthew P Buman4, Peter R Giacobbi5, Beverly L Roberts6, Adrienne T Aiken-Morgan7,8, Michael Marsiske9, Christina S McCrae1. 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. 2. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. 3. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. 4. College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. 5. College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia. 6. College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. 7. Department of Psychology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina. 8. Center on Health and Society, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. 9. Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine independent and interactive associations between self-reported sleep (sleep efficiency and total sleep time [TST]) and pain with cognition in sedentary middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Seventy-five sedentary adults at least 50 years of age (Mage = 63.24, standard deviation = 8.87) completed 14 daily diaries measuring sleep and pain. Weekly average sleep efficiency, TST, and pain were computed. Participants also completed computerized cognitive tasks: Letter Series (reasoning), N-back (working memory), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (processing speed, attention), and Number Copy (processing speed). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine independent and interactive (with pain) associations of sleep efficiency and TST with cognition, controlling for age, education, and sex. RESULTS: Sleep efficiency and pain interacted in their associations with Letter Series performance and N-back difference scores (2-back minus 1-back). Specifically, higher sleep efficiency was associated with better reasoning and working memory in those with highest pain but not average or lowest pain. TST and pain also interacted in their associations with Letter Series performance. Specifically, longer TST associated with worse reasoning in those with lowest (not average or highest) pain. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results show that in sedentary middle-aged and older adults, pain and sleep interact in their associations with executive function tasks. Higher sleep efficiency may be associated with better reasoning and working memory in those with highest pain. Lower TST may be associated with better reasoning in those with lowest pain. Studies evaluating temporal associations between sleep, pain, and cognition are needed.
STUDY OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine independent and interactive associations between self-reported sleep (sleep efficiency and total sleep time [TST]) and pain with cognition in sedentary middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Seventy-five sedentary adults at least 50 years of age (Mage = 63.24, standard deviation = 8.87) completed 14 daily diaries measuring sleep and pain. Weekly average sleep efficiency, TST, and pain were computed. Participants also completed computerized cognitive tasks: Letter Series (reasoning), N-back (working memory), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (processing speed, attention), and Number Copy (processing speed). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine independent and interactive (with pain) associations of sleep efficiency and TST with cognition, controlling for age, education, and sex. RESULTS: Sleep efficiency and pain interacted in their associations with Letter Series performance and N-back difference scores (2-back minus 1-back). Specifically, higher sleep efficiency was associated with better reasoning and working memory in those with highest pain but not average or lowest pain. TST and pain also interacted in their associations with Letter Series performance. Specifically, longer TST associated with worse reasoning in those with lowest (not average or highest) pain. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results show that in sedentary middle-aged and older adults, pain and sleep interact in their associations with executive function tasks. Higher sleep efficiency may be associated with better reasoning and working memory in those with highest pain. Lower TST may be associated with better reasoning in those with lowest pain. Studies evaluating temporal associations between sleep, pain, and cognition are needed.
Authors: D M Lee; N Pendleton; A Tajar; T W O'Neill; D B O'Connor; G Bartfai; S Boonen; F F Casanueva; J D Finn; G Forti; A Giwercman; T S Han; I T Huhtaniemi; K Kula; M E J Lean; M Punab; A J Silman; D Vanderschueren; C M Moseley; F C W Wu; J McBeth Journal: Pain Date: 2010-06-19 Impact factor: 6.961
Authors: Ashley F Curtis; Alicia J Roth; Samuel F Sears; Jamie B Conti; Richard B Berry; Joseph M Dzierzewski; Himangshu Rathinakumar; Christina S McCrae Journal: J Sleep Res Date: 2018-12-13 Impact factor: 3.981
Authors: Ashley F Curtis; Alicia J Roth; Samuel F Sears; Jamie B Conti; Richard B Berry; Joseph M Dzierzewski; Christina S McCrae Journal: Sleep Med Date: 2020-04-06 Impact factor: 3.492