scholarly journals Associations between social burden, perceived stress, and diurnal cortisol profiles in older adults: implications for cognitive aging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Pretscher ◽  
Saskia Kauzner ◽  
Nicolas Rohleder ◽  
Linda Becker
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Diurnal Cortisol ◽  
Social Burden

AbstractStress can be a risk factor for mental and physical health. We investigated the role of social burden as a potential stressor in older age and its associations with cognitive aging (i.e., within the domains inhibition and cognitive flexibility of executive functioning). Eighty-three older adults (N = 38 male, mean age = 74.0 ± 5.7 years, body-mass index = 25.5 ± 4.1 kg/m2) aged 64 years or older participated. Cognitive flexibility and inhibition were assessed by means of a Trail-Making Test (TMT) and a Stroop task. Perceived levels of social burden and perceived stress in general were assessed via standardized questionnaires. Furthermore, diurnal cortisol profiles were assessed. Overall, older participants showed lower cognitive performance than the younger (both inhibition and cognitive flexibility; p < .044). However, this association did not remain significant when adjusting for multiple comparisons. Social burden was highly correlated with perceived stress, highlighting its importance as a stressor (p < .001). Furthermore, participants who reported higher levels of perceived stress showed lower performance in the TMT as a measure for cognitive flexibility (p < .001). Moreover, social burden was associated with cognitive flexibility, which was assessed by means of the TMT (p = .031). However, this association did not remain significant when using the adjusted α-level. Furthermore, we found that total diurnal cortisol output was a mediator for the relationship between age and inhibition, which was assessed by means of a Stroop task. At last, we found that the mediating role of cortisol interacts with social burden in the way that especially in younger age, high levels of social burden are associated with higher cortisol levels and, therefore, with lower cognitive performance. We conclude that it is important to consider social burden as an additional stressor in older age which is associated with cognitive aging.

scholarly journals Strategies and cognitive reserve to preserve lexical production in aging

GeroScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Baciu ◽  
Sonja Banjac ◽  
Elise Roger ◽  
Célise Haldin ◽  
Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Aging Effects ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Compensatory Strategies ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Complementary Domain

AbstractIn the absence of any neuropsychiatric condition, older adults may show declining performance in several cognitive processes and among them, in retrieving and producing words, reflected in slower responses and even reduced accuracy compared to younger adults. To overcome this difficulty, healthy older adults implement compensatory strategies, which are the focus of this paper. We provide a review of mainstream findings on deficient mechanisms and possible neurocognitive strategies used by older adults to overcome the deleterious effects of age on lexical production. Moreover, we present findings on genetic and lifestyle factors that might either be protective or risk factors of cognitive impairment in advanced age. We propose that “aging-modulating factors” (AMF) can be modified, offering prevention opportunities against aging effects. Based on our review and this proposition, we introduce an integrative neurocognitive model of mechanisms and compensatory strategies for lexical production in older adults (entitled Lexical Access and Retrieval in Aging, LARA). The main hypothesis defended in LARA is that cognitive aging evolves heterogeneously and involves complementary domain-general and domain-specific mechanisms, with substantial inter-individual variability, reflected at behavioral, cognitive, and brain levels. Furthermore, we argue that the ability to compensate for the effect of cognitive aging depends on the amount of reserve specific to each individual which is, in turn, modulated by the AMF. Our conclusion is that a variety of mechanisms and compensatory strategies coexist in the same individual to oppose the effect of age. The role of reserve is pivotal for a successful coping with age-related changes and future research should continue to explore the modulating role of AMF.

scholarly journals Motivation as a Mediator of the Relation Between Cognitive Reserve and Cognitive Performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 1199-1205
Author(s):  
Fanny Vallet ◽  
Nathalie Mella ◽  
Andreas Ihle ◽  
Marine Beaudoin ◽  
Delphine Fagot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Cognitive Reserve ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Global Measure ◽  
Interindividual Differences

Abstract Objectives Interindividual differences in cognitive aging may be explained by differences in cognitive reserve (CR) that are built up across the life span. A plausible but underresearched mechanism for these differences is that CR helps compensating cognitive decline by enhancing motivation to cope with challenging cognitive situations. Theories of motivation on cognition suggest that perceived capacity and intrinsic motivation may be key mediators in this respect. Method In 506 older adults, we assessed CR proxies (education, occupation, leisure activities), motivation (perceived capacity, intrinsic motivation), and a global measure of cognitive functioning. Results Perceived capacity, but not intrinsic motivation, significantly mediated the relation between CR and cognitive performance. Discussion Complementary with neurobiological and cognitive processes, our results suggest a more comprehensive view of the role of motivational aspects built up across the life span in determining differences in cognitive performance in old age.

scholarly journals High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Cognitive Flexibility in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 796
Author(s):  
Said Mekari ◽  
Heather F. Neyedli ◽  
Sarah Fraser ◽  
Myles W. O’Brien ◽  
Ricardo Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Interval Training ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
High Intensity Interval Training ◽  
Continuous Training ◽  
High Intensity Interval

Introduction: Regular aerobic exercise is associated with better executive function in older adults. It is unclear if high-intensity-interval-training (HIIT) elicits moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) or resistance training (RT). We hypothesized that HIIT would augment executive function more than MICT and RT. Methods: Sixty-nine older adults (age: 68 ± 7 years) performed six weeks (three days/week) of HIIT (2 × 20 min bouts alternating between 15 s intervals at 100% of peak power output (PPO) and passive recovery (0% PPO); n = 24), MICT (34 min at 60% PPO; n = 19), or whole-body RT (eight exercise superior improvements in executive function of older adults than moderate-intensity-continuous-training, 2 × 10 repetitions; n = 26). Cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., V˙O2max) and executive function were assessed before and after each intervention via a progressive maximal cycle ergometer protocol and the Stroop Task, respectively. Results: The V˙O2max findings revealed a significant group by time interaction (p = 0.001) in which all groups improved following training, but HIIT and MICT improved more than RT. From pre- to post-training, no interaction in the naming condition of the Stroop Task was observed (p > 0.10). However, interaction from pre- to post-training by group was observed, and only the HIIT group exhibited a faster reaction time (from 1250 ± 50 to 1100 ± 50 ms; p < 0.001) in switching (cognitive flexibility). Conclusion: Despite similar improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, HIIT, but not MICT nor RT, enhanced cognitive flexibility in older adults. Exercise programs should consider using HIIT protocols in an effort to combat cognitive decline in older adults.

scholarly journals Incremental utility of an extended stroop task for identifying subtle differences in cognitive performance among healthy older adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 440-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren M. D. Faulkner ◽  
Kathryn A. Tolle ◽  
Carrington R. Wendell ◽  
Shari R. Waldstein ◽  
Leslie I. Katzel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Healthy Older Adults

scholarly journals S176. A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF COMT GENE INVOLVEMENT IN COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY AND ATTENTION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDERS

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S104-S105
Author(s):  
Kim Morris ◽  
Brian Dean ◽  
Will Woods ◽  
Matthew Hughes ◽  
Sean Carruthers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Comt Gene ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Comt Activity ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Functional Snp

Abstract Background Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are often characterised by a plateau or decline in cognitive abilities early in the prodrome. The cause of developmental alteration remains unknown, and investigation of genetic involvement in cognitive function in these disorders may assist the understanding of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms involved. Variation at two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene have previously shown an influence on COMT protein levels and cognition; rs4680 and rs4818. Here we investigate the influence of the nonsynonymous “Val/Met” SNP rs4680 and a second functional SNP, rs4818, on tasks of cognitive flexibility and attention. Methods The sample comprised 48 healthy controls (HC; age = 31.95 ± 12.80; 25 males, 23 females), and 43 with a diagnosis of SSD (age = 41.64 ± 10.36; 26 males, 17 females). Measures of cognitive flexibility and attention included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Continuous Performance Test-Identical Pairs version (CPT-IP), Trail Making Test (TMT), and the D-KEFS Colour Word Interference Test (CWIT). Due to small cohort sizes, in our preliminary analyses we chose to compare people who should be most severely affected because of inheriting COMT haplotypes associated with poor cognitive functioning (GG rs4818 / GG rs4680: G-G haplotype) to those with haplotypes associated with better cognitive functioning (CC rs4818 / AA rs4680: C-A haplotype). Multivariate analysis of variance factors included COMT haplotype, diagnosis (HC and SSD), and gender, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons; age was included as a covariate. Analyses were also conducted based on a non-functional SNP of the COMT gene; rs165599, as a negative control. Results SSD exhibited reduced cognitive performance compared to HC; F(4, 75) = 8.810, p &lt; .001. Investigation of C-A haplotype revealed an interaction with diagnosis on cognitive performance; F(8, 154) = 2.075, p = .041; SSD had reduced performance compared to HC for the WCST, CPT-IP, and TMT in C-A haplotypes (all p &lt; .05). COMT haplotype also interacted with gender on cognitive performance (C-A haplotype; F(8, 154) = 2.315, p = .023, G-G haplotype; F(8, 154) = 2.706, p = .008). Males who were C-A non-carriers and /or G-G haplotype (high COMT activity groups) performed better on CPT-IP (both p &lt; .05) and worse on CWIT (both p &lt; .05) compared to females. Control SNP rs165599 revealed no main effects or significant interactions (all p &gt; .05). Discussion The role of the COMT gene in the cognitive abilities of SSD remains contentious as gene expression does not differ from a healthy population. This preliminary analysis revealed an interaction between diagnosis and COMT haplotype, however, this only reached statistical significance for the C-A haplotype, where SSD with C-A haplotype and C-A non-carriers had reduced performance compared to HC on most tasks except TMT. The different effects found across the tasks, which probed various elements of cognitive flexibility and attention, supports a nuanced role of COMT in cognitive function. Further, high COMT activity was beneficial for males on CPT-IP but not CWIT compared to females. Gender interaction remains a significant consideration in studies of the COMT gene, likely involving the catechol-estrogens which are substrates of COMT. As expected there was no significant results with control SNP rs165599, indicating that findings were due to the influence of SNPs rs4680 and rs4818 on COMT activity.

scholarly journals ROLE OF COPING STYLES AND NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS ON HIGHER PERCEIVED MENTAL FATIGABILITY IN OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S233-S233
Author(s):  
Theresa Gmelin ◽  
Stacy L Andersen ◽  
Robert M Boudreau ◽  
Kaare Christensen ◽  
Mary K Wojczynski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Family Study ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Adaptive Coping ◽  
Attentional Resources ◽  
And Coping

Abstract Older adults are vulnerable to negative recent life events (RLE) which deplete attentional resources and leads to cognitive exhaustion. Adaptive coping styles reduce perceived stress severity but their role on cognitive tiredness is unknown. We examined RLE and coping styles on perceived mental fatigability (Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (PFS), 0-50pts, higher=greater fatigability) in the Long Life Family Study (N=1464, age=74.7±12.6, female=57.7%, 43.9% ≥1 major RLE past 6 months, 27.8% higher mental fatigability≥13). All analyses adjusted for family structure, field center, age, and sex. PFS mental scores correlated with all NEO-FFI (60-item, 5-domain) personality traits representing maladaptive (neuroticism r=0.25 p&lt;.0001) and adaptive (conscientiousness r=-0.18, extraversion r=-0.24, p&lt;.00001) coping. Having ≥1RLE was associated with higher mental fatigability (OR=1.4, 95% CI:1.2,1.8, p=.0004); adjustment for neuroticism (OR=1.3, 95% CI:0.9,1.7, p=.06) attenuated the association. Education on adaptive coping may be a modifiable skill that allows older adults to maintain lower perceived mental fatigability despite stressful events.

The Immediate and Delayed Effects of an Acute Bout of Exercise on Cognitive Performance of Healthy Older Adults

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Barella ◽  
Jennifer L. Etnier ◽  
Yu-Kai Chang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Acute Exercise ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Color Test ◽  
Acute Bout ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Delayed Effects

Research on the acute effects of exercise on cognitive performance by older adults is limited by a focus on nonhealthy populations. Furthermore, the duration of cognitive improvements after exercise has not been examined. Thus, this study was designed to test the immediate and delayed effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance of healthy older adults. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Stroop task. Participants were randomly assigned to an exercise (20 min of walking) or control (sitting quietly) condition. The Stroop task was administered at baseline and at 12 time points after treatment. Acute exercise resulted in better Stroop test performance immediately postexercise; however, the effects were limited to the color test. No effects of exercise on performance were observed for the Stroop interference or inhibition tests. Findings suggest that acute exercise performed by healthy older adults has short-term benefits for speed of processing but does not affect other types of cognitive functioning.

scholarly journals Ageing in a network society: An Introduction

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Hannah Grist ◽  
Liliana Vale-Costa
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Age ◽  
The Other ◽  
Network Society ◽  
Communication Studies ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Shared Understandings ◽  
Networked Society

This special issue aims to explore the role of ICTs in encouraging the development of networked older adults. Specifically, the following papers give a noteworthy contribution to the challenges posed by an increasingly ageing and networked society. This special issue is edited by colleagues whose disciplines are not naturally symbiotic – one from Information and Communication studies and the other from Ageing studies. As such, this special issue posed an interesting set of challenges for the editors as they explored their shared understandings of what it means to grow old or be old in a network society. The editors would therefore like to thank the authors for their receptiveness to ageing studies theory and for challenging their own assumptions about what it means to be old. This special issue acts, in some ways, as a stepping stone or a bridge between more information technological based notions of what it is to grow older and cultural gerontological constructions of older age.

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