Dr Raha West, from the Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, discusses her recent global collaboration with the Korean Institute of Oriental Medicine on a study investigating the effect of sleep on brain performance, the resulting publication and presenting the findings at a conference in South Korea.
“In April 2023, our APMIC division welcomed collaborators from the Korean Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), working with Professor Ma’s group on sleep patterns and cognitive function research. This partnership led to our study being published in BMJ Public Health, attracting global media attention.
On June 25th, 2024, as the lead author, I was invited to present our findings at the Daejeon Convention Center in South Korea. The event, organised by KIOM, offered a valuable platform for sharing our research with international collaborators.
Key Highlights:
- Optimal Sleep Duration: Both our UK Biobank study and the Korean Community Health Survey identified 7-9 hours of sleep as optimal for cognitive health.
- Chronotype Findings: Our study, which had an older average age of 71, found that evening and intermediate types were associated with better cognitive function. In contrast, the Korean study, with a younger average age of 40, highlighted that morning types have a lower risk of cognitive decline. This suggests that the impact of chronotype on cognitive health may vary with age.
- Sleep Quality: While our study found no significant impact on cognitive performance, the Korean study indicated variations based on sleep quality and chronotype.
The event emphasised the importance of international collaboration and provided invaluable insights into the diverse impacts of sleep patterns on cognitive health. This collaboration and the resulting discussions have enriched our understanding and opened new avenues for future research in sleep and cognitive health.”