Sleep disturbances and mild cognitive impairment: A review

OBJECTIVE: Mild cognitive impaired (MCI) is viewed as a transitional stage from normal to dementia. The aim of this study is analyze the sleep disturbances in subjects diagnosed as carries MCI. METHODS: A review of the literature was conducted in order to document sleeps problems in the context of MCI. RESULTS: Among the studies that compares the prevalence of sleep disturbances between subjects with MCI and those with normal cognition demonstrated that night time behaviors are more common in MCI patients (18.3–45.5%) than in normal population (10.9–23.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbance is prevalent and predictive of cognitive decline in older people and in those with neurodegenerative disorders. The sleep problems have to be identified and treat to preserve the cognition and the MCI subjects with sleep disturbances have to be follow more closely to identify the initial signs of dementia.