Does your elderly mother, father, grandmother, or aunt fall asleep in their chair during the day? Do they no longer have any interest or enthusiasm for the things they used to enjoy? We often think, "Oh... that's just how it is when you get older." But did you know that this is not just a sign of aging, but could be a sign of something more? A recent, very important medical study has found some surprising facts about this. Let's talk about it today.
What does this new study say?
Simply put, this study found that excessive daytime sleepiness and a complete loss of interest in daily activities may be a condition that increases the risk of dementia in the future.
According to these researchers, 35.5% of adults with both of these problems (excessive sleepiness and apathy), or more than a third, have developed the aforementioned risk factor. However, this is only 6.7% of those without these problems. Look at the difference.
Even after adjusting for other risk factors such as age and stress, someone who is excessively sleepy during the day and has no interest in anything is about three times more likely to develop this condition than someone without these problems.
What exactly is Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR)?
This name seems a bit complicated, doesn't it? Let's keep it simple.
- Motoric: This refers to something related to the movements of our body. Specifically, things like walking.
- Cognitive: This refers to the functioning of our brain, that is, our ability to think, remember, and make decisions.
- Risk Syndrome: This refers to a collection of symptoms that increase the risk of developing a certain disease. This is not yet a full-blown disease, but it is like a 'warning sign' that paves the way for the disease to develop.
Then, Motor Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR) is a condition in which a person's walking speed gradually decreases, and they also start to have minor memory complaints . The important thing is that when a doctor examines these people, they are not yet diagnosed with dementia or a disease that prevents them from walking. However, having this MCR condition is a strong sign that greatly increases the risk of developing dementia in the future.
Let's look at the data revealed in the study.
Look at this table to see how clear the results of this study are.
| The tested group | Percentage of MCR status improvement |
|---|---|
| People who had excessive daytime sleepiness and lack of interest in work | 35.5% (about three to four out of ten people) |
| Those who didn't have those problems | 6.7% (very low percentage) |
From this data, you can see how seriously these two characteristics should be taken. This is not something to be dismissed as "that's just how it is when you get older."
How was this study done?
The study involved 445 adults without dementia, with an average age of 76. Researchers asked them about their sleep habits through questionnaires.
What kind of questions did they ask?
- "Do you wake up in the middle of the night?"
- "Can't you fall asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed?"
- "Do you take sleeping pills?"
- "Do you fall asleep while driving, eating, or talking to someone in public?"
- "Is it difficult to maintain the enthusiasm needed to complete a task?"
These questions were used to measure daytime sleepiness and apathy. In addition, they were asked questions about memory and had participants walk on a treadmill to measure their walking speed.
Limitations of the study
While this is a very important study, there is something we need to understand. This study only suggests an association between sleep problems and MCR. It does not 100% prove causation . That is, it cannot be said that sleep problems alone cause MCR, but there is a strong link between the two.
The other thing is that the participants reported their sleep from memory. So they may not remember everything exactly. However, the message we get from this study is very clear.
So what should we do?
One of the lead doctors who conducted this study said this:
"Our findings highlight the importance of screening for sleep-related problems. It may be that people can prevent future cognitive decline by getting help for their sleep problems."
The message here is that if an adult in your family has these symptoms, don't ignore them. If you notice things like daytime sleepiness, a lack of interest in anything, or difficulty walking, talk to your family doctor about it. You may want to check for other health problems that are affecting your sleep (e.g., snoring, sleep apnea). Treating sleep problems early can be a great investment in protecting your brain's health in the future.
Take-Home Message
- Excessive daytime sleepiness and loss of interest in daily activities in older adults should not be ignored as "normal signs of aging."
- These symptoms may be a precursor to a condition called Motor Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR) , which increases the risk of developing dementia in the future.
- Recent research shows that there is a strong link between sleep problems and deteriorating brain health.
- If you notice these symptoms in a loved one, encourage them to see a doctor . Addressing sleep problems early can help protect brain health in the long run.
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