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Could self-reporting sleep duration become an important tool in the prediction of dementia?
Marina Šagud, Maja Bajs Janović, Suzana Uzun, Biljana Kosanović Rajačić, Oliver Kozumplik, Nela Pivac. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 2025-05-15
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
INTRODUCTION: Optimal sleep duration is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of overall health, including cognitive functioning. Studies often report a U- or J-shaped relationship between sleep duration and incident dementia or cognitive deterioration, whereas long sleep, the extremes of sleep duration, and the transition to long sleep were particularly detrimental. In preclinical studies, partial or complete sleep deprivation produced inflammation, oxidative stress, as well as increased tau hyperphosphorylation and amyloid-β burden. In humans, although the findings are less pronounced, they still highlight that transitioning to an excessive sleep duration is associated with neurodegeneration. Moreover, the association between sleep duration and dementia is complex and modified by genetic, psychosocial and lifestyle factors, along with psychiatric and somatic comorbidities. AREAS COVERED: The purpose of this perspective is to summarize the current knowledge on the association between sleep duration and dementia. It is based on a literature search for meta-analyses of prospective studies with sleep duration as an exposure and dementia as an outcome. EXPERT OPINION: Sleep duration is a modifiable risk factor for dementia while long sleep may be an early sign of neurodegeneration. Therefore, self-reported sleep duration is an easy-to-use tool for detecting individuals who may be at risk for cognitive deterioration.
Key findings
- INTRODUCTION: Optimal sleep duration is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of overall health, including cognitive functioning.
- In humans, although the findings are less pronounced, they still highlight that transitioning to an excessive sleep duration is associated with neurodegeneration.
Why it matters
This perspective summarizes evidence that sleep duration is a modifiable risk factor for dementia, with long sleep possibly being an early sign of neurodegeneration. It suggests self-reported sleep duration could be an easy detection tool, but does not show that changing sleep prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics: journal h-index 125 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Nela Pivac: h-index 45 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Zagreb: institution h-index 438 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40369950) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Šagud, M., Janović, M. B., Uzun, S., Rajačić, B. K., Kozumplik, O., & Pivac, N. (2025). Could self-reporting sleep duration become an important tool in the prediction of dementia? Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737175.2025.2506459
Vancouver
Šagud M, Janović MB, Uzun S, Rajačić BK, Kozumplik O, Pivac N. Could self-reporting sleep duration become an important tool in the prediction of dementia? Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 2025. doi:10.1080/14737175.2025.2506459. PMID: 40369950.
BibTeX
@article{sagud2025-40369950,
author = {Šagud, Marina and Janović, Maja Bajs and Uzun, Suzana and Rajačić, Biljana Kosanović and Kozumplik, Oliver and Pivac, Nela},
title = {{Could self-reporting sleep duration become an important tool in the prediction of dementia?}},
journal = {Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1080/14737175.2025.2506459},
pmid = {40369950},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/14737175.2025.2506459}
}
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