37 research outputs found

    Dissociable changes in sleep architecture with mindfulness and sleep hygiene intervention in older adults: Secondary and exploratory analysis of polysomnography data from the Mindfulness Sleep Therapy (MIST) trial

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    We conducted a secondary analysis of the Mindfulness Sleep Therapy study, a randomized controlled trial testing Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI) against a sleep hygiene education and exercise program (SHEEP). We investigated whether the interventions led to changes in sleep macroarchitecture (N2, N3 and REM), and microarchitecture (sleep fragmentation, slow wave activity, spectral band power) measured by ambulatory polysomnography (PSG)

    Cortical Thinning and Sleep Slow Wave Activity Reductions Mediate Age-Related Improvements in Cognition During Mid-Late Adolescence

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    STUDY OBJECTIVES Gains in cognitive test performance that occur during adolescence are associated with brain maturation. Cortical thinning and reduced sleep slow wave activity (SWA) are markers of such developmental changes. Here we investigate whether they mediate age-related improvements in cognition. METHODS 109 adolescents aged 15-19y (49 males) underwent magnetic resonance imaging, polysomnography (PSG) and a battery of cognitive tasks within a 2-month time window. Cognitive tasks assessed non-verbal intelligence, sustained attention, speed of processing and working memory and executive function. To minimize the effect of sleep history on SWA and cognitive performance, PSG and test batteries were administered only after at least 8 nights of 9-h time-in-bed (TIB) sleep opportunity. RESULTS Age-related improvements in speed of processing (r = 0.33, p = 0.001) and non-verbal intelligence (r = 0.24, p = 0.01) domains were observed. These cognitive changes were associated with reduced cortical thickness, particularly in bilateral temporoparietal regions (rs = -0.21 to -0.45, ps < 0.05), as well as SWA (r = -0.35, p < 0.001). Serial mediation models found that ROIs in the middle/superior temporal cortices, together with SWA mediated the age-related improvement observed on cognition. CONCLUSIONS During adolescence, age-related improvements in cognition are mediated by reductions in cortical thickness and sleep slow wave activity

    A longitudinal analysis of COVID-19 lockdown stringency on sleep and resting heart rate measures across 20 countries

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    Abstract Lockdowns imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19 massively disrupted the daily routines of many worldwide, but studies to date have been mostly confined to observations within a limited number of countries, based on subjective reports and surveys from specific time periods during the pandemic. We investigated associations between lockdown stringency and objective sleep and resting-heart rate measures in ~ 113,000 users of a consumer sleep tracker across 20 countries from Jan to Jul 2020, compared to an equivalent period in 2019. With stricter lockdown measures, midsleep times were universally delayed, particularly on weekdays, while midsleep variability and resting heart rate declined. These shifts (midsleep: + 0.09 to + 0.58 h; midsleep variability: − 0.12 to − 0.26 h; resting heart rate: − 0.35 to − 2.08 bpm) correlated with the severity of lockdown across different countries (all Ps &lt; 0.001) and highlight the graded influence of stringency lockdowns on human physiology

    Effects of phase-locked acoustic stimulation during a nap on EEG spectra and declarative memory consolidation

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    AbstractObjectivesAcoustic stimulation synchronized to slow waves (SWs) can enhance these sleep features and facilitate memory consolidation during nocturnal sleep. Here, we investigated whether a similar benefit could be accrued following stimulation during an afternoon nap. We also evaluated the event-related dynamics of associated EEG spectral changes and their correlation with memory performance.MethodsSixteen healthy young adults (mean age: 22 ± 1.4 years; nine males) were studied under two conditions: stimulation (STIM) and no stimulation (SHAM), in counter-balanced order. In the STIM condition, acoustic stimulation was delivered using blocks of five tones, each phase-locked to the SW up-state during a 90-min nap opportunity. In the SHAM condition, these time points were marked, but tones were not presented. Prior to the nap, participants learned 40 semantically related word pairs and immediate recall was tested. A delayed recall test was administered 45 min after awakening.ResultsCompared to the SHAM condition, acoustic stimulation increased SW amplitude, theta, and fast spindle activity and attenuated the forgetting of word pairs (p values < 0.05).ConclusionPhase-locked acoustic stimulation can promote sleep-dependent declarative memory during a daytime nap. This can be achieved by stimulation in Stage 2 and SWS without a requirement for high-amplitude slow wave detection
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