Sleep Disturbance and Depression in Older Adults - The Role of Dementia Severity - Study findings on how dementia severity changes the sleep–depression link

Q: What question does the study address about older adults?

It tests whether dementia severity moderates the association between sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms in older adults.

Q: How were sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms measured?

Sleep disturbance was gathered from clinical interview, and depressive symptoms were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale.

Q: How does dementia severity affect the sleep disturbance–depression relationship?

The study finds the association strengthens as dementia severity increases, with stronger effects in severe dementia compared with moderate dementia.

Sep 29, 2026

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Examines whether dementia severity changes the relationship between sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms in older adults. Sleep disturbance was collected via clinical interview, while depressive symptoms were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale. Dementia severity was classified as mild (n=122), moderate (n=62), or severe (n=12) among participants (N=196). Results show that increased sleep disturbance predicts higher depressive symptomatology, with the association strengthening as dementia severity progresses, especially in severe dementia. Findings support targeted sleep-focused interventions across dementia stages.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Background and Purpose

Methods and Measures

Participant Characteristics and Severity Groups

Moderation Results and Key Findings

Implications for Interventions

864 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 this association (p = .04). This moderating relationship was significant among older adults with moderate to severe dementia. Results indicated stronger effects in older adults with severe dementia (B = 10.56, p < .01) compared to those with moderate dementia (B = 6.24, p < .01). Overall, these findings demonstrate that that the association between increased sleep disturbance and higher depressive symptoms becomes stronger as dementia progresses. This study provides further insights into the complex intersection between sleep and mood within the context of neurodegenerative disorders. Results underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing sleep disturbance at varying levels of dementia severity to mitigate depressive symptoms. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2924 SLEEP DISTURBANCE AND DEPRESSION IN OLDER ADULTS: THE ROLE OF DEMENTIA SEVERITY Hye Rim Ryu1, Cari Cohen2, Jerry J. Sweet2, Christopher Williams2, Elizabeth K. Geary2, Julia Thomas2, and Leslie Guidotti Breting2, 1. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Glenview, Illinois, United States, 2. Endeavor Health-NorthShore Hospitals, Chicago, Illinois, United States Between 40-70% of older adults [in the U.S. report](in the U.S. report) sleep disturbance (Crowley, 2022; Smagula et al., 2016) . Poor sleep is common in dementia (Wong & Lovier, 2023) and widely associated with adverse outcomes among older adults, including depression (Li et al., 2022) . However, less is known about how the severity of dementia influences this association. The present study thus examined whether dementia severity moderates the relationship between sleep disturbance (gathered from clinical interview) and depressive symptoms (measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale). Participants were older adults with a primary dementia diagnosis following outpatient neuropsychological evaluation (N = 196, Mage = 76.60, SDage = 9.71) . Dementia severity was categorized as mild (n = 122), moderate (n = 62), and severe (n = 12). Moderated regression analyses demonstrated that increased sleep disturbance predicted higher depressive symptomatology (B=6.24, p < .01), with dementia severity moderating

FAQs

What question does the study address about older adults?

It tests whether dementia severity moderates the association between sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms in older adults.

How were sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms measured?

Sleep disturbance was gathered from clinical interview, and depressive symptoms were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale.

How does dementia severity affect the sleep disturbance–depression relationship?

The study finds the association strengthens as dementia severity increases, with stronger effects in severe dementia compared with moderate dementia.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Angel