. 2024 Aug 14;14(8):813.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci14080813.

The Relationships of Specific Cognitive Control Abilities with Objective and Subjective Sleep Parameters in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Revealing the Association between Cognitive Planning and Sleep Duration

Areti Batzikosta^{1

2}, Despina Moraitou^{1

2}, Paschalis Steiropoulos³, Georgia Papantoniou^{2

4

5}, Georgios A Kougioumtzis^{6

7}, Ioanna-Giannoula Katsouri⁸, Maria Sofologi^{4

5

7}, Magda Tsolaki^{2

9}

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Psychology, Department of Cognition, Brain and Behavior, School of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
² Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Center of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), Balcan Center, Buildings A & B, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
³ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.
⁴ Laboratory of Psychology, Department of Early Childhood Education, School of Education, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
⁵ Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University Research Centre of Ioannina (URCI), 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
⁶ Department of Turkish Studies and Modern Asian Studies, Faculty of Economic and Political Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece.
⁷ Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus.
⁸ Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.
⁹ Greek Association of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD), Petrou Sindika 13 Str., 54643 Thessaloniki, Greece.

PMID: 39199504
PMCID: PMC11352822
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14080813

The Relationships of Specific Cognitive Control Abilities with Objective and Subjective Sleep Parameters in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Revealing the Association between Cognitive Planning and Sleep Duration

Areti Batzikosta et al. Brain Sci. 2024.

. 2024 Aug 14;14(8):813.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci14080813.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Psychology, Department of Cognition, Brain and Behavior, School of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
² Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Center of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), Balcan Center, Buildings A & B, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
³ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.
⁴ Laboratory of Psychology, Department of Early Childhood Education, School of Education, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
⁵ Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University Research Centre of Ioannina (URCI), 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
⁶ Department of Turkish Studies and Modern Asian Studies, Faculty of Economic and Political Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece.
⁷ Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus.
⁸ Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.
⁹ Greek Association of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD), Petrou Sindika 13 Str., 54643 Thessaloniki, Greece.

PMID: 39199504
PMCID: PMC11352822
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14080813

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the associations between specific sleep parameters and specific aspects of cognitive functioning in individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared with healthy controls (HCs) by using cognitive, subjective, and objective sleep measures. A total of 179 participants were enrolled, all aged ≥ 65 years (mean age = 70.23; SD = 4.74) and with a minimum of six years of education (mean = 12.35; SD = 3.22). The sample included 46 HCs (36 females), 75 individuals with amnestic MCI (aMCI) (51 females), and 58 individuals with non-amnestic MCI (naMCI) (39 females). Inhibition, cognitive flexibility as a combined application of inhibitory control and set shifting or task/rule switching, and planning were examined. The following D-KEFS subtests were administered for their evaluation: Verbal Fluency Test, Color-Word Interference Test, and Tower Test. Self-reported sleep questionnaires (Athens Insomnia Scale, Stop-Bang questionnaire, and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index) were used for subjective sleep assessments. Actigraphy was used for objective sleep measurements. Mixed-measures ANOVA, MANOVA, and one-way ANOVA, as well as the Scheffe post hoc test, were applied to the data. The results showed that the three groups exhibited statistically significant differences in the Tower Test (total achievement score, total number of administered problems, and total rule violations). As regards objective sleep measurements, the total sleep time (TST) was measured using actigraphy, and indicated that there are significant differences, with the HC group having a significantly higher mean TST compared to the naMCI group. The relationships evaluated in the TST Tower Test were found to be statistically significant. The findings are discussed in the context of potential parameters that can support the connection between sleep duration, measured as TST, and cognitive planning, as measured using the Tower Test.

Keywords: cognitive abilities; executive functions; mild cognitive impairment; sleep; sleep disturbances.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

**Figure 1**
A graphical representation of a participant’s phases of activity and rest over the course of a week.

**Figure 2**
The effects of diagnostic group on the three scores of the DKEFS– Tower Test.

**Figure 3**
The effects of diagnostic group on total sleep time performance.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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The Relationships of Specific Cognitive Control Abilities with Objective and Subjective Sleep Parameters in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Revealing the Association between Cognitive Planning and Sleep Duration

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The Relationships of Specific Cognitive Control Abilities with Objective and Subjective Sleep Parameters in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Revealing the Association between Cognitive Planning and Sleep Duration

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