Takeaway
Reduced slow-wave sleep was associated with markers of brain injury and atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and may contribute to brain aging.
Why this matters
Slow-wave sleep, the deepest sleep stage, is thought to facilitate memory consolidation, energy restoration, and other physiological sleep functions.
Studies have shown that the elderly and people with dementia have reduced slow-wave sleep, however, the relationship between the duration and proportion of slow-wave sleep and markers of brain aging on MRI has yet to be reported.