愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Frequent nightmares in middle age may be linked to risk of dementia: study

Share

Middle-aged adults who experience frequent nightmares may have an increased risk of dementia later in life, a new study suggests.

The study published in on Wednesday suggests people who are diagnosed with dementia in their later years of life show a cognitive decline years in advance with signs like distressing dreams.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. analyzed data from three separate cohort U.S. studies that followed 605 men and women aged 35-64 and 2,600 adults aged 79 and older. The data followed all participants for an average of nine years and all of them were dementia-free at the beginning of the study.

Participants were asked to complete the , which assesses a person鈥檚 sleeping patterns and quality of sleep. The questionnaire covers a variety of sleep factors including sleep duration, use of sleep medication, daytime dysfunction and sleep disturbances.

From the data collected, the researchers found that middle-aged participants who experienced nightmares on a weekly basis were four times more likely to experience cognitive decline over the next decade in comparison to those who didn鈥檛 experience nightmares. Among those aged 79 and older, participants who experienced weekly bad dreams were twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

鈥淭his is important because there are very few risk indicators for dementia that can be identified as early as middle age,鈥 lead researcher Dr. Abidemi Otaiku said in a .

According to the , sleep disturbances are extremely common for people with dementia. Their sleeping issues can range from insomnia, frequent naps throughout the day, to sleeping all day and staying awake all night. This can often lead to 鈥渟undowning,鈥 which is when a person with dementia experiences heightened confusion or aggression in the late afternoon or early evening.

The study authors hypothesize the relation between nightmares and cognitive decline may be linked to neurodegeneration. This progressive damage to nerve cells, specifically in this case, attacks the right frontal part of the brain which is supposed to suppress negative emotions during conscious states like dreaming. The researchers hypothesize this since most of the participants who experienced nightmares were more likely to be more depressed or anxious.

The researchers say they aim to further investigate other factors of dreaming patterns that can be linked to dementia, including the frequency of dreaming or how vivid dreams can be.

鈥淲hile more work needs to be done to confirm these links, we believe bad dreams could be a useful way to identify individuals at high risk of developing dementia, and put in place strategies to slow down the onset of disease,鈥 Otaiku said in the press release. 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

Local Spotlight

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.