Purpose

The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of a sleep intervention on improving cognitive function in older adults with symptoms of insomnia, determine the association between change in sleep measures and change in cognitive function, and examine the efficacy of the sleep intervention on reducing the rate of Aβ deposition. Participants, ages 60-85, will be randomly assigned to a six-week sleep intervention program. A sub-group of fifty participants will undergo Florbetapir-Positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging during the one-year reassessment to examine the efficacy of the sleep intervention on reducing the rate of Aβ accumulation from baseline to one-year post-intervention.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 60 Years and 85 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Report of difficulty falling asleep, maintaining sleep, or waking up too early at least three nights a week for the past six months - A score of greater than, or equal to, ten on the Insomnia Severity Index - A score of greater than, or equal to, twenty-five on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) - A score of less than, or equal to, two on the Dementia Screening Interview (AD8)

Exclusion Criteria

  • A known untreated sleep disorder (i.e., sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome) - Currently taking benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, melatonin supplements, or agonists for insomnia - A score of greater than, or equal to, fifteen on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) indicating severe depression or endorsement of any suicidal ideation (an answer of one, two, or three on item number nine of the PHQ-9) - History of drug or alcohol abuse as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-4) criteria within the last two years - History of a nervous system disorder (i.e., stroke, Parkinson's Disease) - Severe mental illness (i.e., Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder) - History of a learning disability or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder - Current, or history of, shift work - Currently receiving CBT-I treatment - Unable to hear at a conversational level - Failure of a near vision test utilizing the Logarithmic Near Visual Acuity Chart

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Single (Care Provider)
Masking Description
The research assistant will be blinded to the participant's intervention group.

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Six-Week CBT-I Program
CBT-I, six sessions, forty-five to sixty minutes in duration. Session 1: set up sleep restriction and stimulus control, discuss strategies for how to stay awake to a prescribed hour and what to do with wake after onset sleep time, provide sleep hygiene education. Session 2: determine if upward titration of total sleep time is warranted, review sleep hygiene. Session 3: continue upward titration of total sleep time, cognitive therapy for negative sleep beliefs if indicated. Session 4: continue upward titration of total sleep time, follow-up regarding negative sleep beliefs. Session 5: continue upward titration of total sleep time, discuss relapse prevention. Session 6: assess global treatment gains, discuss questions regarding relapse prevention.
  • Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
    CBT-I is an in-person, one-on-one program with a graduate psychology research assistant who is trained in providing a standardized CBT-I. Participants will maintain a sleep diary during the course of the program to aid in tailoring the program. Each session will begin with a summary and graphing of sleep diary data and will include an assessment of treatment gains and adherence.
Active Comparator
Six-Week Sleep and Lifestyle Education Program
Sleep and Lifestyle Education, six sessions, forty-five to sixty minutes in duration. Session 1: Sleep education, Instruction/demonstration on stretching exercises. Session 2: Education on environmental factors & sleeping positions that impact sleep. Session 3: Education on lifestyle factors that impact sleep. Session 4: Education on diet and sleep. Session 5: Education on exercises and sleep. Session 6: Discus maintaining achievements & preventing relapses.
  • Behavioral: Sleep and Lifestyle Education
    Participants in the sleep and lifestyle education group will attend six weekly, in-person, one-on-one, stretching, and thinking activity sessions with a graduate research assistant to control for socialization and contact with research personnel.

Recruiting Locations

University of Kansas Medical Center- Sleep, Health and Wellness Laboratory
Kansas City, Kansas 66160
Contact:
Eryen Nelson, MPH
913-945-7349
enelson5@kumc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Kansas Medical Center

Study Contact

Eryen Nelson, MPH
(913) 945-7349
enelson5@kumc.edu

Detailed Description

Lifestyle interventions to increase exercise and improve diet have been the focus of recent clinical trials to potentially prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, despite the strong links between sleep disruptions, cognitive decline, and AD, sleep enhancement has yet to be targeted as a lifestyle intervention to prevent AD. Approximately fifteen percent of AD may be prevented by an efficacious intervention aimed to reduce sleep disturbances and sleep disorders. Chronic insomnia is the most frequent sleep disorder occurring in at least forty percent of older adults. Individuals with insomnia are more likely to be diagnosed with AD and demonstrate a decline in cognitive function at long-term follow-up. AD is characterized by the accumulation of Aβ plaques and tau tangles in the brain, and growing evidence shows impaired sleep contributes to the accumulation of Aβ. An intervention aimed at improving insomnia may represent a critical opportunity for primary prevention to slow cognitive decline and potentially delay the onset of AD. Therefore, the long-term goal of this research agenda is to understand how addressing sleep disturbances, via sleep intervention, may delay the onset of AD.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.