Abstract
To discover whether reported sleep-wake disturbances in the elderly (more frequent nocturnal awakenings, earlier waking and more day time naps) are associated with neuropsychological dysfunction. A sample of 124 residents of a retirement village complex were interviewed about their sleep patterns and given neuropsychological assessments. Reported sleep-wake difficulties were combined to form two variables, "night sleep" and "day sleep". Additional sleep variables analysed were reported sleep duration and time of wakening. Principal components analysis of the neuropsychological test scores yielded four factors: "general ability", "memory", "motor", and "cerebral efficiency". A correlation analysis was performed for sleep variables, neuropsychological factors and age, mood scale and scores on indices of participation in physical and passive activities. There was no correlation between "night sleep" and the factor scores derived from the neuropsychological tests. "Day sleep" was correlated with "cerebral efficiency" only. Age was correlated with the "memory" and "motor" factors, the latter also being associated with participation in physical activities. Night sleep problems are not associated with neuropsychological deficits in a non-clinic population.
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