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Daytime sleepiness is associated with dementia and cognitive decline in older Italian adults: a population-based study
Merlino G, Piani A, Gigli GL, Cancelli I, Rinaldi A, Baroselli A, Serafini A, Zanchettin B et al.. Sleep medicine, 2010-03-09
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective The occurrence of dementia among the elderly has been associated with several, often not modifiable, risk factors. Recent epidemiological studies focused their interest on a possible association between cognitive decline and sleep, a potentially modifiable risk factor. Due to controversial results and limitations of the previous studies, we decided to reexamine the relationship between disturbed sleep and cognitive impairment in the elderly.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Merlino, G., Piani, A., Gigli, G. L., Cancelli, I., Rinaldi, A., Baroselli, A., et al. (2010). Daytime sleepiness is associated with dementia and cognitive decline in older Italian adults: a population-based study. Sleep medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2009.07.018
Vancouver
Merlino G, Piani A, Gigli GL, Cancelli I, Rinaldi A, Baroselli A, et al. Daytime sleepiness is associated with dementia and cognitive decline in older Italian adults: a population-based study. Sleep medicine. 2010. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2009.07.018. PMID: 20219426.
BibTeX
@article{merlino2010-20219426,
author = {Merlino, G. and Piani, A. and Gigli, G. L. and Cancelli, I. and Rinaldi, A. and Baroselli, A. and Serafini, A. and Zanchettin, B. and others},
title = {{Daytime sleepiness is associated with dementia and cognitive decline in older Italian adults: a population-based study}},
journal = {Sleep medicine},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1016/j.sleep.2009.07.018},
pmid = {20219426},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2009.07.018}
}
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Key findings
- Recent epidemiological studies focused their interest on a possible association between cognitive decline and sleep, a potentially modifiable risk factor.
- Due to controversial results and limitations of the previous studies, we decided to reexamine the relationship between disturbed sleep and cognitive impairment in the elderly.
- Methods Seven hundred fifty subjects aged 65years or older were recruited.
- The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) scores were used to evaluate the severity of cognitive decline.
Why it matters
In 750 people aged 65 or older, this population-based study examined whether daytime sleepiness was associated with dementia and cognitive decline. It reports an association only and cannot show that treating sleep problems would prevent or cure Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Effect size47.8%; 84.7%; 26.2%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Sleep medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Sleep Medicine: journal h-index 193 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 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 | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| 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 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 191 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.6 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 26 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Mariarosaria Valente: h-index 39 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Udine: institution h-index 481 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20219426) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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