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Background:

A substantial part of elderly persons with dementia show rest-activity rhythm disturbances. The rest-activity rhythm is important to study in people with early-onset dementia (EOD) for rest-activity rhythm disturbances are predictive of institutionalization, and caregivers of young patients suffer from high distress.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to study (1) whether EOD patients have more rest-activity rhythm disturbances compared with cognitively intact adults; and (2) which factors contribute to a disturbed rhythm.

Methods:

We included 61 patients with EOD [mean age 61.9 (4.9) y, 41 (67%) men] and 68 cognitively intact adults [mean age 61.6 (4.5) y, 28 (41%) men]. Rest-activity rhythm was assessed by actigraphy.

Results:

EOD patients tended to have higher intradaily variability [0.46 (0.16) and 0.39 (0.10), P= 0.03]. EOD patients also lay for a longer time in bed [time in bed: 08: 49 (0: 51) h and 08: 07 (0 …