Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
We found that longitudinal changes in cognitive function measured by the cognitive composite decreased at low and high values of total sleep time (P < 0.001), time in non-REM (P < 0.001) and REM sleep (P < 0.001), sleep efficiency (P < 0.01) and <1 Hz and 1-4.5 Hz non-REM slow wave activity (P < 0.001) even after adjusting for age, CSF total tau/amyloid-β42 ratio, APOE ε4 carrier status, years of education and sex. Cognitive function was stable over time within a middle range of total sleep time, time in non-REM and REM sleep and <1 Hz slow wave activity, suggesting that certain levels of sleep are important for maintaining cognitive function.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Lucey, B. P., Wisch, J., Boerwinkle, A. H., Landsness, E. C., Toedebusch, C. D., McLeland, J. S., et al. (2021). Sleep and longitudinal cognitive performance in preclinical and early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. Brain : a journal of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awab272
Vancouver
Lucey BP, Wisch J, Boerwinkle AH, Landsness EC, Toedebusch CD, McLeland JS, et al. Sleep and longitudinal cognitive performance in preclinical and early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. Brain : a journal of neurology. 2021. doi:10.1093/brain/awab272. PMID: 34668959.
BibTeX
@article{lucey2021-34668959,
author = {Lucey, B. P. and Wisch, J. and Boerwinkle, A. H. and Landsness, E. C. and Toedebusch, C. D. and McLeland, J. S. and Butt, O. H. and Hassenstab, J. and others},
title = {{Sleep and longitudinal cognitive performance in preclinical and early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Brain : a journal of neurology},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1093/brain/awab272},
pmid = {34668959},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awab272}
}
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Key findings
- We found that longitudinal changes in cognitive function measured by the cognitive composite decreased at low and high values of total sleep time (P < 0.001), time in non-REM (P < 0.001) and REM sleep (P < 0.001), sleep efficiency (P < 0.01) and <1 Hz and 1-4.5 Hz non-REM slow wave activity (P < 0.001) even after adjusting for age, CSF total tau/amyloid-β42 ratio, APOE ε4 carrier status, years of education and sex.
- Cognitive function was stable over time within a middle range of total sleep time, time in non-REM and REM sleep and <1 Hz slow wave activity, suggesting that certain levels of sleep are important for maintaining cognitive function.
Why it matters
This study found that longitudinal cognitive function decreased at both low and high values of total sleep time, non-REM and REM sleep time, sleep efficiency, and non-REM slow wave activity, while cognitive function was stable within a middle range of these measures. It suggests certain levels of sleep may be important for maintaining cognitive function, but it does not show that changing sleep treats, cures, or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants100
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 65/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Brain : a journal of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Brain: journal h-index 503 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 100 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 162 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 23.1 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.4× 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 | 3 / 4 | Cited 109 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author David M. Holtzman: h-index 206 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34668959) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 65 / 100 | — |
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