Researchers at University of British Columbia Discuss Findings in Alzheimer Disease (The Independent Associations of Physical Activity and Sleep with…

Researchers at University of British Columbia Discuss Findings in Alzheimer Disease (The Independent Associations of Physical Activity and Sleep with Cognitive Function in Older Adults)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Pain & Central Nervous System Week -- Fresh data on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Conditions - Alzheimer Disease are presented in a new report. According to news reporting originating in Vancouver, Canada, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "Current evidence suggests physical activity (PA) and sleep are important for cognitive health; however, few studies examining the role of PA and sleep for cognitive health have measured these behaviors objectively. We cross-sectionally examined whether 1) higher PA is associated with better cognitive performance independently of sleep quality; 2) higher sleep quality is associated with better cognitive performance independently of PA; and 3) whether higher PA is associated with better sleep quality."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of British Columbia, "We measured PA, subjective sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and objective sleep quality (i.e., fragmentation, efficiency, duration, and latency) using the MotionWatch8? in community-dwelling adults (N=137; aged 55+). Cognitive function was indexed using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Plus. Correlation analyses were performed to determine relationships between PA, sleep quality, and cognitive function. We then used latent variable modelling to examine the relationships of PA with cognitive function independently of sleep quality, sleep quality with cognitive function independently of PA, and PA with sleep quality. We found greater PA was associated with better cognitive performance independently of 1) PSQI (b=-0.03; p<0.01); 2) sleep fragmentation (b=-0.02; p<0.01); 3) sleep duration (b=-0.02; p<0.01); and 4) sleep latency (b=-0.02; p<0.01). In addition, better sleep efficiency was associated with better cognitive performance independently of PA (b=-0.01; p=0.04). We did not find any associations between PA and sleep quality. PA is associated with better cognitive performance independently of sleep quality, and sleep efficiency is associated with better cognitive performance independently of PA."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "However, PA is not associated with sleep quality and thus PA and sleep quality may be related to cognitive performance through independent mechanisms."

For more information on this research see: The Independent Associations of Physical Activity and Sleep with Cognitive Function in Older Adults. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2018;():. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease can be contacted at: IOS Press, Nieuwe Hemweg 6B, 1013 BG Amsterdam, The Netherlands (see also Neurodegenerative Diseases and Conditions - Alzheimer Disease).

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting R.S. Falck, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Aging, Mobility and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Additional authors for this research include J.R. Best, J.C. Davis and T. Liu-Ambrose.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-170936. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease can be contacted at: IOS Press, Nieuwe Hemweg 6B, 1013 BG Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Keywords for this news article include: Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, Alzheimer Disease, North and Central America, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Conditions.

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