New Study Shows Potential Link Between Bad Quality Sleep and Alzheimer's in Hispanics

A study in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association found Hispanics who have trouble sleeping may be at a higher risk of Alzheimer's or other dementias, reports the Miami Herald . Researchers saw a potential association between insomnia, prolonged sleep duration, and declining neurocognitive functioning. "This finding is particularly important because Hispanics have a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer's disease compared with non-Hispanic whites," noted University of Miami Professor Alberto R. Ramos. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that dementia-diagnosed Hispanics should number 3.2 million by 2060. Ramos' team analyzed various sleep disturbances, including sleep apnea, among 16,000 Latinos from diverse backgrounds at urban centers in Chicago, Miami, San Diego, and the Bronx in New York City. "We observed that prolonged periods of sleep and chronic insomnia symptoms led to declines in memory, executive function, and processing speed," said Ramos. "Those measures can precede the development of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease." Insomnia impacted memory more, while abnormal periods of sleep affected executive functions and processing speed.