Study Links Extreme Daytime Sleepiness to 35% MCR Rate in Adults 65 and Older

2 articles · Updated · health.yahoo.com · Aug 10

445 adults aged 65 and older were tracked in a Neurology study, which found 35% of those with extreme daytime sleepiness developed motoric cognitive risk syndrome, versus 6.7% without sleepiness.
MCR is considered a dementia precursor and is marked by slow walking plus cognitive complaints such as memory and thinking problems.
Researchers and outside neurologists said the finding adds to evidence that poor sleep may raise dementia risk because the brain’s waste-clearing glymphatic system works more actively during healthy sleep.
The report stops short of proving naps or more sleep can prevent dementia; CDC guidance still centers on exercise, controlling diabetes and blood pressure, limiting alcohol and smoking, and addressing hearing loss.