scholarly journals Cognitive activity, cognitive function, and brain diffusion characteristics in old age

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 455-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Arfanakis ◽  
Robert S. Wilson ◽  
Christopher M. Barth ◽  
Ana W. Capuano ◽  
Anil Vasireddi ◽  
...  
2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 400-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT S. WILSON ◽  
LISA L. BARNES ◽  
KRISTIN R. KRUEGER ◽  
GEORGE HOGANSON ◽  
JULIA L. BIENIAS ◽  
...  

Little is known about the relative benefits of cognitively stimulating activities at different points in the lifespan. In a cohort of 576 older persons without dementia, we assessed current and past (childhood, young adulthood, middle age) frequency of cognitive activity; availability of cognitively stimulating resources in the home in childhood and middle age; and 5 domains of cognitive function. Past cognitive activity and cognitive resources were positively correlated with both current cognitive activity and current cognitive function. The association with cognitive function was reduced after controlling for current cognitive activity, however. Current cognitive activity was associated with better cognitive function, especially semantic memory and perceptual speed, even after controlling for past activity. The results suggest that past cognitive activity contributes to current cognition principally through its association with cognitive activity in old age. (JINS, 2005,11, 400–407.)


2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 998-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan D. James ◽  
Robert S. Wilson ◽  
Lisa L. Barnes ◽  
David A. Bennett

AbstractWe examined the association of social activity with cognitive decline in 1138 persons without dementia at baseline with a mean age of 79.6 (SD = 7.5) who were followed for up to 12 years (mean = 5.2; SD = 2.8). Using mixed models adjusted for age, sex, education, race, social network size, depression, chronic conditions, disability, neuroticism, extraversion, cognitive activity, and physical activity, more social activity was associated with less cognitive decline during average follow-up of 5.2 years (SD = 2.7). A one point increase in social activity score (range = 1–4.2; mean = 2.6; SD = 0.6) was associated with a 47% decrease in the rate of decline in global cognitive function (p < .001). The rate of global cognitive decline was reduced by an average of 70% in persons who were frequently socially active (score = 3.33, 90th percentile) compared to persons who were infrequently socially active (score = 1.83, 10th percentile). This association was similar across five domains of cognitive function. Sensitivity analyses revealed that individuals with the lowest levels of cognition or with mild cognitive impairment at baseline did not drive this relationship. These results confirm that more socially active older adults experience less cognitive decline in old age. (JINS, 2011, 17, 998–1005)


Author(s):  
DEBRA A. FLEISCHMAN ◽  
ROBERT S. WILSON ◽  
JULIA L. BIENIAS ◽  
DAVID A. BENNETT
Keyword(s):  

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Christoffer Skogen ◽  
Simon Øverland ◽  
A David Smith ◽  
Arnstein Mykletun ◽  
Robert Stewart

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 516-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Quan Huang ◽  
Zheng-Rong Wang ◽  
Yong-Hong Li ◽  
Yi-Zhou Xie ◽  
Qing-Xiu Liu

ABSTRACTBackground: We assessed the relationship between cognitive impairment (including mild cognitive impairment with no signs of dementia, and dementia) and risk for depression in old age (60 years and older).Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library database were used to identify potential studies. All of the clinical studies that produced data on the association between cognitive function and risk of depression among individuals aged 55 years or older were identified and included in this review. The studies were classified into cross-sectional and longitudinal subsets. The quantitative meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were performed. For prevalence and incidence rates of depression, odds risk (OR) and relative risk (RR) were calculated, respectively.Results: Since all but two studies found in the search were for individuals aged 60 years or over, we assessed and reported on results for this larger group only. In this review we included 13 cross-sectional and four prospective longitudinal studies. The quantitative meta-analysis showed that, in old age, individuals with non-dementia cognitive impairment had neither significant higher prevalence nor incidence rates of depression than those without (odds risk (OR): 1.48, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI): 0.87–2.52; relative risk (RR): 1.12, 95% CI: 0.62–2.01). In old age, individuals with dementia had both significant higher prevalence and incidence rates of depression than those without (OR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.15–2.89; RR: 3.92, 95% CI: 1.93–7.99).Conclusions: Despite the methodological limitations of this meta-analysis, we found that in old age, there was no association between depression and cognitive impairment with no dementia; however, there was a definite association between depression and dementia and thus dementia might be a risk for depression.


2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda B Hassing

Abstract Objectives To examine the long-term association between leisure activities in adulthood and cognitive function in old age while recognizing gender differences in activity profiles. Methods The sample included 340 cognitively healthy twins enrolled in the OCTO-Twin Study, a longitudinal study on cognitive aging. Leisure activity was measured in midlife and cognitive function in old age (mean age 83). Leisure activities covered the domains of domestic, intellectual–cultural, and self-improvement activities. The cognitive assessments comprised 5 measurement occasions (2-year intervals) covering verbal ability, spatial ability, memory, and speed. The association between leisure activity and cognitive function was estimated separately for the genders using growth curve models, adjusting for age and education. Results Men and women had the same level of total leisure activity but differed in activity profiles and in the associations between activity and cognitive function. Higher engagement in self-improvement among men was related to higher level of cognitive functioning. Among women, intellectual–cultural activity was related to better verbal ability and memory. Concerning trajectories of cognitive function, domestic activity among men was related to less decline in speed, whereas for women it was related to steeper decline in spatial ability and memory. Further, higher intellectual–cultural activity among women was related to steeper decline in memory. Discussion Cognitively stimulating activities (i.e., self-improvement and intellectual–cultural), might increase cognitive reserve whereas less cognitively stimulating activities (i.e., domestic) do not. Gender differences should be considered when examining lifestyle factors in relation to cognitive aging.


2009 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin R. Krueger ◽  
Robert S. Wilson ◽  
Julia M. Kamenetsky ◽  
Lisa L. Barnes ◽  
Julia L. Bienias ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (7) ◽  
pp. e93-e104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yujun Liu ◽  
Margie E Lachman

Abstract Objectives Although educational attainment is related to cognitive function in later life, little is known about the mechanisms involved. This study assessed the independent mediating effects of two behavioral variables, physical and cognitive activity, on the association between educational attainment and cognitive function and change. Methods Data were derived from the three waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. Predictors (educational attainment) were from the 1995 baseline, mediators (physical and cognitive activities) were from the 2004 wave, and outcomes (cognitive function) were from the 2004 and 2013 waves. Conditional process modeling was applied using PROCESS in SPSS. Results There were both direct and indirect effects of educational attainment on level and change of executive function (EF) and episodic memory (EM). Physical activity and cognitive activity were both significant mediators for cognitive level. For mediators of change, however, cognitive activity was significant for EF and physical activity was significant for EM. Discussion Physical and cognitive activity are discussed as possible factors for protecting against cognitive decline in later life. The findings have implications for advancing supportive policies and practices related to maximizing the benefits of education and physical and cognitive activities for cognition in middle age and later life.


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