title: Improving sleep and cognition by hypnotic suggestion in the elderly.
abstract: Sleep quality markedly declines across the human lifespan. Particularly the amount of slow-wave sleep (SWS) decreases with age and this decrease is paralleled by a loss of cognitive functioning in the elderly. Here we show in healthy elderly females that the amount of SWS can be extended by a hypnotic suggestion "to sleep deeper" before sleep. In a placebo-controlled cross-over design, participants listened to hypnotic suggestions or a control tape before a midday nap while high density electroencephalography was recorded. After the hypnotic suggestion, we observed a 57% increase in SWS in females suggestible to hypnosis as compared to the control condition. Furthermore, left frontal slow-wave activity (SWA), characteristic for SWS, was significantly increased, followed by a significant improvement in prefrontal cognitive functioning after sleep. Our results suggest that hypnotic suggestions might be a successful alternative for widely-used sleep-enhancing medication to extend SWS and improve cognition in the elderly.
authors: Institute of Psychology, Division of Biopsychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Maren Jasmin
authors: MJ
authors: Cordi
authors: International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Sumatrastrasse 30, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Hirsiger
authors: International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Sumatrastrasse 30, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Mérillat
authors: Institute of Psychology, Division of Biopsychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland; Zurich Center for Interdisciplinary Sleep Research (ZiS), University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Division of Cognitive Psychology, University of Fribourg, Rue P.A. de Faucigny 2, 1701 Fribourg, Switzerland. Electronic address: bjoern.rasch@unifr.ch.
authors: Björn
authors: B
authors: Rasch
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017286:Polysomnography; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D013404:Suggestion
keywords: Aging; Cognitive function; High density EEG; Hypnosis; Slow-wave Sleep