Mind-body Practices and Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Findings from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study

Abstract Objectives Residential segregation is one of the fundamental features of health disparities in the United States. Yet little research has examined how living in segregated metropolitan areas is related to cognitive function and cognitive decline with age. We examined the association between segregation at the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) level and trajectories of age-related cognitive function. Method Using data from Black and White older adults in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study (n=18,913), we employed linear growth curve models to examine how living in racially segregated MSAs at baseline, measured by the degree of Non-Hispanic Black [NHB] isolation and NHB dissimilarity, was associated with trajectories of age-related cognitive function and how the associations varied by race and education. Results Living in MSAs with greater levels of isolation was associated with lower cognitive function (b=-0.093, p<0.05) but was not associated with rates of change in cognitive decline with age. No effects of living in isolated MSAs were found for those with at least a high school education, but older adults with less than a high school education had lower cognitive function in MSAs with greater isolation (b=-0.274, p<0.05). The degree of dissimilarity was not associated with cognitive function. The association between segregation and cognitive function did not vary by race. Discussion Metropolitan segregation was associated with lower cognitive function among older adults, especially for those with lower education living in racially isolated MSAs. This suggests complex associations between individual socioeconomic status, place, and cognitive health.

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Edentulism trends among middle-aged and older adults in the United States: comparison of five racial/ethnic groups

Community Dentistry And Oral Epidemiology ◽

10.1111/j.1600-0528.2011.00640.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 145-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Bei Wu ◽

Jersey Liang ◽

Brenda L. Plassman ◽

Corey Remle ◽

Xiao Luo

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Ethnic Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Racial Ethnic

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Co-occurring mental illness, drug use, and medical multimorbidity among lesbian, gay, and bisexual middle-aged and older adults in the United States: a nationally representative study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09210-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Benjamin H. Han ◽

Dustin T. Duncan ◽

Mauricio Arcila-Mesa ◽

Joseph J. Palamar

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Drug Use ◽

The United States ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Representative Study ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

And Bisexual

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INTEREST GROUP SESSION - ORAL HEALTH: ORAL HEALTH AND DENTAL CARE AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES: WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE CAN DO

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igy023.2153 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽

pp. 581-581

Author(s):

B Wu ◽

M J Saunders

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Oral Health ◽

Interest Group ◽

Dental Care ◽

The United States ◽

Group Session ◽

Middle Aged

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Measuring (Non)Essentialist Beliefs About the Process of Aging

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbaa113 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

David Weiss ◽

Manfred Diehl

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Measurement Invariance ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Age Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Age Related

Abstract Objectives We validated an aging mindset measure that captures beliefs about the process of aging. Specifically, we introduce a brief 4-item and an extended 10-item measure assessing (non)essentialist beliefs about aging. Methods We report findings from one longitudinal and one cross-cultural study, including young, middle-aged, and older adults between 18 and 88 years. The studies established (retest) reliability and measurement invariance as well as convergent and discriminant validity of the measures. Results First, in a longitudinal study (N = 124, 50–84 years) including 4 measurement occasions, we showed that the 4-item scale assessing (non)essentialist beliefs about aging has good retest reliability and convergent as well as discriminant validity (e.g., awareness of age-related change). Second, in a large cross-cultural sample (N = 1,080, 18–82 years) of participants in the United States and Germany, we established an extended 10-item measure of (non)essentialist beliefs about aging, providing support for a 2-factor structure as well as measurement invariance across samples within and across countries (the United States and Germany), age groups (young, middle-aged, and older adults), as well as across men and women. Discussion Our results highlight the importance of distinguishing between fixed versus malleable aging beliefs in research on aging and life-span development.

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Movement Therapy and Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A 10-Year Study

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1174 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 364-365

Author(s):

Kallol Kumar Bhattacharyya ◽

Hongdao Meng ◽

Gizem Hueluer ◽

Kathryn Hyer

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Movement Therapy ◽

The United States ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Pharmacological Intervention ◽

Community Living ◽

Middle Aged

Abstract Cognitive function is an important component of healthy aging and physical activities have been shown to support late life cognitive function. However, it is unclear whether non-traditional physical activities provide additional benefits for cognitive function above and beyond traditional leisure physical activities. This study examines the associations between movement therapy and cognitive function in the US population. We used data from the waves 1, 2 and 3 (1995-2014) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. MIDUS included a national probability sample of community-living adults aged 25-75 years old in 1995 (wave 1) and added the wave 2 cognitive functioning tests of executive function and episodic memory. We applied multivariate linear regression models to estimate the effect of movement therapy (wave 2) on the cognitive episodic memory and executive function (wave 3) while controlling the covariates (wave 2 sociodemographic factors, health, and cognitive function). A total of 2097 individuals aged 42-92 years (mean 64.4, sd 10.9, 55.6% women) were included in the analysis. Movement therapy was independently associated with better episodic memory (beta=0.117, p=0.02), but not with executive function (beta=0.039, p=0.14), after including control variables. The results suggest that movement therapy may be an effective non-pharmacological intervention to attenuate age-related cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults. Future research should test whether these findings can be replicated in similar populations and if confirmed, interventions should incorporate a wider range of physical activities in community-living older adults with the goal of maintaining and improving physical and cognitive health.

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