Can Depressive Symptoms Mediate the Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome? A Cross-Sectional Study in an Adult Clinical Sample

Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) is characterized by sluggishness, mental fog, and lethargy and it often co-occurs with depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Despite its clinical importance, research on CDS in adults remains limited. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between sleep quality and CDS and examine whether depressive symptoms mediate this association. A total of 220 medication-free adults were assessed using standardized measures of CDS, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, depression, and anxiety. Participants with current pharmacological treatment were excluded to minimize potential confounding effects. Individuals with CDS had poorer sleep quality, greater daytime sleepiness, and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Mediation analysis revealed that depressive symptoms fully mediated the association between sleep quality and CDS. These findings suggest that the impact of poor sleep quality on CDS may operate through increased depressive symptoms. This underscores the importance of addressing depression in individuals with sleep disturbances and CDS.