Association between memory impairment and insomnia among older adults

Chronic insomnia and memory impairment are both common complaints among older adults. Even so, only a few studies to date have examined the effects of chronic insomnia on memory processes among older people, and the results of these studies are contradictory. Therefore, in the current study we examined whether late-life insomnia is associated with the memory status of older adults. The study population comprised two groups: 50 older adult subjects without sleep disorders, and 23 older adult insomniacs. Memory processing for each of the two groups was evaluated using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). The results demonstrate that chronic insomnia in older adults is associated with impairment in memory. Specifically, we found that older people suffering from late-life insomnia exhibit significantly reduced performance in learning rate and in temporal order judgment as well as significantly reduced resistance to proactive interference. The present findings suggest that late-life insomnia may be one of the factors contributing to the decline in memory processing seen among older people. © Springer-Verlag 2006.