Visual cognitive function changes associated with chronic insomnia in older adults

Older adults typically exhibit poor sleep efficiency as well as a decline in visual perception. In this study, the authors investigated whether late-life insomnia is associated with age-related changes in visual processing of global and local aspects of hierarchical figures. The study findings suggest that late-life insomnia may be one of the most important factors contributing to the decline of visual processing in older adults. The findings offer hope that treatment of insomnia in older adults could have beneficial effects on improving visual processing in this population.