title: Performance on a functional motor task is enhanced by sleep in middle-aged and older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although sleep has been shown to enhance motor skill learning, it remains unclear whether sleep enhances learning of a functional motor task in middle-aged and older individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine whether sleep enhances motor learning of a functional motor task in middle-aged and older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty middle-aged and 20 older individuals were randomly assigned to either the sleep condition or the no-sleep condition. Participants in the sleep condition practiced a novel walking task in the evening, and returned the following morning for retesting. Participants in the no-sleep condition practiced the walking task in the morning and returned the same day in the evening for a retest. Outcome measures included time around the walking path and spatiotemporal gait parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only the middle-aged and older adults in the sleep condition demonstrated significant off-line improvement in performance, measured as a decline in time to walk around the novel path and improvement in spatiotemporal gait parameters. The middle-aged and older adults in the no-sleep condition failed to demonstrate off-line improvements in performance of this functional task.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to provide evidence that sleep facilitates learning a clinically relevant functional motor task in middle-aged and older adults. Because many neurologic conditions occur in the middle-aged and older adults and sleep issues are very prevalent in many neurologic conditions, it is imperative that physical therapists consider sleep as a factor that may impact motor learning and recovery in these individuals.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  (See Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A73) for more insights from the authors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
authors.forename: Alham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Sharman
authors.forename: Catherine F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Siengsukon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*