Effect of Physical Inactivity on Cognitive Performance after 2.5 Years of Follow-Up

Objective: To examine the association between physical activity and cognitive performance in a longitudinal study. Methods: We analyzed data from 17.333 noninstitutionalized persons aged 50 years or older in 11 European countries who participated in Wave 1 (2004/2005) and Wave 2 (2006/2007) of the Survey of Heath, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Physical activity at baseline was measured as self-reported frequency of sports or activities requiring vigorous activity, and frequency of activities demanding a moderate level of activity. Cognitive function was measured at baseline and after a mean of 2.5 years of follow-up by delayed word recall and verbal fluency tests. The effects of physical activity at baseline on cognitive performance at follow-up were assessed in hierarchical multilevel random effects models adjusted for sociodemographic variables (age, education), somatic comorbidities, functional impairment (basic and instrumental activities of daily living, maximum grip strength), depressive symptoms, and body mass index. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, we found physical inactivity (neither moderate nor vigorous) to be associated with a higher rate of cognitive decline over a mean follow-up of 2.5 years (β = –1.79 (SE = 0.17) for verbal fluency; β = –0.35 (SE = 0.04) for delayed word recall). Further analyses showed that vigorous activities more than once a week were especially related to change in cognition over time. Conclusion: Engagement in moderate and vigorous physical activities protects against cognitive decline in older age. Participation in physical activities may be of particular importance when other risk factors for cognitive decline are present.

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Exploring the bidirectional associations between loneliness and cognitive functioning over 10 years: the English longitudinal study of ageing

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyz085 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (6) ◽

pp. 1937-1948 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jiamin Yin ◽

Camille Lassale ◽

Andrew Steptoe ◽

Dorina Cadar

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Verbal Fluency ◽

Word Recall ◽

Reverse Causality ◽

Linear Slope ◽

Rate Of Decline ◽

English Longitudinal Study

Abstract Background As the population ages, cognitive decline and dementia have become major health concerns in the UK. Loneliness has been linked to cognitive decline, but the reverse causality of this association remains unclear. This study aims to examine whether there is a bidirectional relationship between loneliness and cognitive function in older English adults (age 50 years and over) over a 10-year follow-up. Methods Data came from a nationally representative sample of 5885 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), free of stroke or dementia and followed every 2 years up to wave 7 (2014–15). At each wave, cognitive function was measured with word recall and verbal fluency tests, and loneliness was measured with the abridged version of the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Bivariate dual change score models were used to assess the multivariate associations between loneliness and cognitive function, used interchangeably as exposures and outcomes. Results Greater loneliness at baseline was associated with poorer memory [β intercept = −0.03, standard error (SE) = 0.01, P = 0.016] and verbal fluency (β intercept = −0.01, SE = 001, P = 0.027) at baseline, and with a stronger linear rate of decline in both memory (β linear slope = −0.07, SE = 001, P ≤ 0.001) and verbal fluency (β linear slope = −0.09, SE = 0.03, P = 0.003) over a 10-year follow-up period, although the performance on verbal fluency did not change substantially on average over this period. We also found that higher baseline memory, but not verbal fluency, predicted a slower change in loneliness (β linear slope = −0.01, SE = 001, P = 0.004) and that a linear decline in memory was associated with an acceleration in loneliness (β quadratic slope = −0.02, SE = 001, P ≤ 0.001) during follow-up. Conclusions Higher loneliness is associated with poorer cognitive function at baseline and contributes to a worsening in memory and verbal fluency over a decade. These factors seem, however, to be partially intertwined, since baseline memory and its rate of decline also contribute to an increase in loneliness over time.

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White Matter Integrity Underlies the Physical-Cognitive Correlations in Subjective Cognitive Decline

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.700764 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Yi-Chia Wei ◽

Chih-Chin Heather Hsu ◽

Wen-Yi Huang ◽

Yao-Liang Chen ◽

Chemin Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

White Matter ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitively Normal ◽

Corona Radiata ◽

Moca Score

Objective: Although previous studies postulated that physical and cognitive decline codeveloped in preclinical dementia, the interconnected relationship among subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs), objective cognitive performance, and physical activity remained hazy. We investigated the mediating roles of physical activity between subjective and objective cognition. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was utilized to test our hypothesis that brain white matter microstructural changes underlie the physical-cognitive decline in subjective cognitive decline (SCD).Methods: We enrolled cognitively normal older adults aged > 50 years in the Community Medicine Research Center of Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital during 2017–2020. Regression models analyzed mediation effects of physical activity between subjective and objective cognition. The self-reported AD8 questionnaire assessed SCCs. The SCD group, defined by AD8 score ≥ 2, further underwent diffusion MRI scans. Those who agreed to record actigraphy also wore the SOMNOwatch™ for 72 h. Spearman's correlation coefficients evaluated the associations of diffusion indices with physical activity and cognitive performance.Results: In 95 cognitively normal older adults, the AD8 score and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score were mediated partially by the metabolic equivalent of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF MET) and fully by the sarcopenia score SARC-F. That is, the relation between SCCs and poorer cognitive performance was mediated by physical inactivity. The DTI analysis of 31 SCD participants found that the MoCA score correlated with mean diffusivity at bilateral inferior cerebellar peduncles and the pyramids segment of right corticospinal tract [p < 0.05, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected]. The IPAQ-SF MET was associated with fractional anisotropy (FA) at the right posterior corona radiata (PCR) (p < 0.05, FDR corrected). In 15 SCD participants who completed actigraphy recording, the patterns of physical activity in terms of intradaily variability and interdaily stability highly correlated with FA of bilateral PCR and left superior corona radiata (p < 0.05, FDR corrected).Conclusions: This study addressed the role of physical activity in preclinical dementia. Physical inactivity mediated the relation between higher SCCs and poorer cognitive performance. The degeneration of specific white matter tracts underlay the co-development process of physical-cognitive decline in SCD.

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Abstract 01: Diabetes is a Risk Factor for 20-year Cognitive Decline

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.129.suppl_1.01 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 129 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Andreea M Rawlings ◽

A. Richey Sharrett ◽

Josef Coresh ◽

Marilyn Albert ◽

David J Couper ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Word Recall ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Word Fluency ◽

Chronic Hyperglycemia ◽

Symbol Substitution ◽

Rapid Cognitive Decline ◽

Diagnosed Diabetes

Introduction: Most studies examining the association between diabetes and cognitive decline have been among older individuals and/or have had limited follow-up. We undertook this study to examine the association of diabetes in mid-life with long-term change in cognitive function in a community-based population of blacks and whites. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that diabetes and chronic hyperglycemia - as measured by HbA1c at baseline - would be associated with 20-year cognitive decline. Methods: We used generalized estimating equations to examine the association of diabetes at baseline (1990-1992, aged 48-67 years) with 20-year change in cognitive performance among 13015 (24% black; 55% female; 1205 with diabetes) ARIC participants. Delayed Word Recall, Digit Symbol Substitution, and Word Fluency were used to assess cognitive performance, and were summarized using a global Z score. Self-reported diagnosis or diabetes medication use at baseline was used to assess diabetes and HbA1c was categorized using clinical cutpoints. Models were adjusted for demographic and clinical variables. Results: Diagnosed diabetes was associated with significantly more cognitive decline compared to persons without diabetes (Z = -0.17, 95% CI: -0.26, -0.07) (Figure). This represents 19% faster decline compared to persons without diabetes. We also observed a significant trend in decline among clinical categories of HbA1c, even below the threshold for diagnosis of diabetes. Results were similar in race-stratified analyses. In addition, among white participants poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1c>7) had significantly more decline compared to persons whose diabetes was controlled (Z = -0.24 (95% CI: -0.46, -0.02)). Conclusions: Diabetes in middle-age was associated with substantially more rapid cognitive decline across 20 years of follow-up. Our results also suggest that pre-diabetes and poor control of diabetes lead to greater cognitive decline.

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Abstract P409: Thyroid Function and Cognitive Decline in Middle-aged and Older Adults: The Elsa-Brasil Study

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.141.suppl_1.p409 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 141 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Claudia Szlejf ◽

Claudia K Suemoto ◽

Carolina Janovsky ◽

Paulo A LOTUFO ◽

Isabela M Bensenor

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Thyroid Function ◽

Thyroid Disease ◽

Word Recall ◽

Adult Health ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Second Wave

Introduction: The role of subtle thyroid alterations on cognitive decline is controversial. We aimed to investigate the association of thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) with baseline performance on cognitive tests and with cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults without overt thyroid disease. Methods: This is a longitudinal analysis of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health baseline and second wave, after 4 years of follow-up. We included participants aged ≥ 55 years without over thyroid disease, prevalent stroke and use of drugs that could affect thyroid function and cognition. TSH and FT4 were assessed at baseline. Cognition was evaluated at baseline and at the second wave using delayed word recall test (DWR), semantic verbal fluency test (SVF), and trail making test version B (TMT). Baseline and longitudinal associations of TSH tertiles and FT4 tertiles with cognitive performance were investigated with generalized estimating equations, adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, cardiovascular risk factors, and depression. Results: The baseline mean age of the 4675 participants was 62.4 ± 5.8 years, 52.3% women (2445 out of 4675). At baseline, TSH levels were not associated with cognitive performance in any test, although the highest FT4 tertile was associated with poorer performance on DWR (β = -0.087, 95% CI = -0.155; -0.019) and SVF (β = -0.076, 95%CI = -0.143; -0.010) after adjustment. Additionally, the lowest FT4 tertile was associated with poorer performance on SVF (β = -0.090, 95%CI = -0.152; -0.028). Cognitive performance did not change after 4 years of follow-up and there was no effect of time on the association of thyroid hormone levels with cognitive performance. Conclusion: At baseline, FT4 levels were associated with worse cognitive performance in a relatively young sample. Neither baseline FT4 nor TSH were associated with cognitive decline after 4 years.

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Cognitive decline in patients with prostate cancer: study protocol of a prospective cohort, NEON-PC

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043844 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. e043844

Author(s):

Natalia Araujo ◽

Samantha Morais ◽

Ana Rute Costa ◽

Raquel Braga ◽

Ana Filipa Carneiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Androgen Deprivation Therapy ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Cardiovascular Complications ◽

Androgen Deprivation ◽

High Survival ◽

The Impact

IntroductionProstate cancer is the most prevalent oncological disease among men in industrialised countries. Despite the high survival rates, treatments are often associated with adverse effects, including metabolic and cardiovascular complications, sexual dysfunction and, to a lesser extent, cognitive decline. This study was primarily designed to evaluate the trajectories of cognitive performance in patients with prostate cancer, and to quantify the impact of the disease and its treatments on the occurrence of cognitive decline.MethodsParticipants will be recruited from two main hospitals providing care to approximately half of the patients with prostate cancer in Northern Portugal (Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto and São João Hospital Centre), and will comprise a cohort of recently diagnosed patients with prostate cancer proposed for different treatment plans, including: (1) radical prostatectomy; (2) brachytherapy and/or radiotherapy; (3) radiotherapy in combination with androgen deprivation therapy and (4) androgen deprivation therapy (with or without chemotherapy). Recruitment began in February 2018 and is expected to continue until the first semester of 2021. Follow-up evaluations will be conducted at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 years. Sociodemographic, behavioural and clinical characteristics, anxiety and depression, health literacy, health status, quality of life, and sleep quality will be assessed. Blood pressure and anthropometrics will be measured, and a fasting blood sample will be collected. Participants’ cognitive performance will be evaluated before treatments and throughout follow-up (Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Cube Test as well as Brain on Track for remote monitoring). All participants suspected of cognitive impairment will undergo neuropsychological tests and clinical observation by a neurologist.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the hospitals involved. All participants will provide written informed consent, and study procedures will be developed to ensure data protection and confidentiality. Results will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentation in scientific meetings.

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High-intensity physical activity is not associated with better cognition in the elder: evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Alzheimer s Research & Therapy ◽

10.1186/s13195-021-00923-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zhiyuan Wu ◽

Haiping Zhang ◽

Xinlei Miao ◽

Haibin Li ◽

Huiying Pan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

Global Cognition

Abstract Background To evaluate the association of physical activity (PA) intensity with cognitive performance at baseline and during follow-up. Methods A total of 4039 participants aged 45 years or above from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were enrolled in visit 1 (2011–2012) and followed for cognitive function in visit 2 (2013–2014), visit 3 (2015–2016), and visit 4 (2017–2018). We analyzed the association of PA intensity with global cognition, episodic memory, and mental intactness at baseline using adjusted regression methods and evaluated the long-term effect of PA intensity using multiple measures of cognition scores by mixed effect model. Results In cross-sectional analysis, mild and moderate PA, rather than vigorous PA, was associated with better cognitive performance. The results remained consistent in multiple sensitivity analyses. During the follow-up, participant with mild PA had a 0.56 (95% CI 0.12–0.99) higher global cognition, 0.23 (95% CI 0.01–0.46) higher episodic memory, and 0.33 (95% CI 0.01–0.64) higher mental intactness, while those with moderate PA had a 0.74 (95% CI 0.32–1.17) higher global score, 0.32 (95% CI 0.09–0.54) higher episodic memory, and 0.43 (95% CI 0.12–0.74) higher mental intactness, compared with individuals without PA. Vigorous PA was not beneficial to the long-term cognitive performance. Conclusions Our study indicates that mild and moderate PA could improve cognitive performance, rather than the vigorous activity. The targeted intensity of PA might be more effective to achieve the greatest cognition improvement considering age and depressive status.

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Tracking of Maternal Physical Activity and Sport Participation over 11 Years: Findings from the Czech ELSPAC Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19020705 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 705

Author(s):

Mario Kasović ◽

Lovro Štefan ◽

Pavel Piler ◽

Martin Zvonar

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Strength Training ◽

Generalized Estimating Equations ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Sport Participation ◽

Team Sports ◽

Racket Sports ◽

Structured Questionnaire

Purpose: Tracking of physical activity (PA) and sport participation (SP) during motherhood is poorly understood. The purpose of the study was to analyze the extent of tracking of maternal PA and SP. Methods: In this investigation, data were collected from the Czech ELSPAC study subsample of 4811 and 2609 women measured postnatally (1991–1992) and after 11 years of follow-up (2002–2003), respectively. The structured questionnaire was used to assess the participation and average weekly time spent in PA, and the frequency of engaging in different sports (running, cycling, strength training, racket sports, swimming, and team sports). Tracking was calculated using generalized estimating equations (GEE) with beta coefficients (β), odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Moderately high tracking coefficients were observed for cycling (β = 0.69, 95% 0.67–0.72), strength training (β = 0.59, 95% 0.56–0.63), and weekly time spent in PA (β = 0.53, 95% 0.38–0.66); meanwhile, moderate tracking coefficients were generated for swimming (β = 0.48, 95% 0.44–0.52), team sports (β = 0.44, 95% 0.39–0.48), racket sports (β = 0.44, 95% 0.39–0.48), and running (β = 0.35, 95% 0.30–0.40). Mothers who did not participate in PA at baseline were 81% more likely not to participate in it at follow-up (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.53–2.13). Conclusion: Cycling- and strength-related activities and weekly PA were tracked moderately-to-moderately high during motherhood. Moreover, the strong tracking of physical inactivity indicates that the detection of this risk factor before pregnancy should be advocated.

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Early-Life Exposure to the Chinese Famine and Risk of Cognitive Decline

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm8040484 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 484 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hongguo Rong ◽

Xiaozhen Lai ◽

Elham Mahmoudi ◽

Hai Fang

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Early Life ◽

Late Life ◽

Cognitive Status ◽

Word Recall ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Multi Stage ◽

Famine Exposure

Previous studies on the Chinese famine suggested long-term effects of early-life famine exposure on health conditions. This study aims to investigate the association between exposure to the Chinese famine of 1959–1961 at different early-life stages and the risk of cognitive decline in adulthood. A total of 6417 adults born between 1952 and 1964 in the 2015 survey data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included in this study. Cognitive performance was estimated through a series of comprehensive neuropsychological tests, including the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS-10), word recall, and pentagon drawing. Multiple generalized linear model (GLM) was employed to detect the association between multi-stage early-life famine exposure and late-life cognitive performance. Compared with the unexposed group, respondents exposed to famine in the fetal period performed worse in the TICS (difference −0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.93 to −0.10), word recall (difference −0.46, 95% CI: −0.74 to −0.19), and general cognition (difference −1.05, 95% CI: −1.64 to −0.47). Furthermore, we also found negative effects of famine exposure on performance of word recall and pentagon drawing in the early (word recall difference −0.56, 95% CI: −1.00 to −0.11; pentagon drawing difference −0.76, 95% CI: −1.40 to −0.12), mid (word recall difference −0.46, 95% CI: −0.81 to −0.11; pentagon drawing difference −0.66, 95% CI: −1.16 to −0.16), and late (word recall difference −0.30, 95% CI: −0.55 to −0.04; pentagon drawing difference −0.75, 95% CI: −1.13 to −0.37) childhood-exposed groups. Early-life famine exposure in different stages is positively associated with late-life cognitive decline. Fetal famine exposure might affect the overall cognitive status in adulthood, and childhood famine exposure has potential adverse effects on visuospatial episodic memory.

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Cognitive function and type of physical activity: results from the FRéLE longitudinal study

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.640 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

C Dupré ◽

D Hupin ◽

C Goumou ◽

F Béland ◽

F Roche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Disorders ◽

Cognitive Status ◽

Professional Activity ◽

Domestic Activity ◽

Different Types ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Previous cohorts have been notably criticized for not studying the different type of physical activity and not investigating household activities. The objective of this work was to analyse the relation between physical activity and cognitive decline in older people living in community. Impact of type of physical activity on the results has been realised. Methods The study used data from the longitudinal and observational study , FrèLE (FRagility: Longitudinal Study of Expressions). The collected data included: socio-demographic variables, lifestyle, and health status (frailty, comorbidities, cognitive status, depression). Cognitive decline was assessed by using: MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination)and MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Physical activity was assessed by the PASE (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly). This tool is structured in three sections: the leisure activity, the domestic activity and the professional activity. Logistic regressions and proportional hazards regression models (Cox) were used to estimate the risk of cognitive disorders. Results At baseline, the prevalence of cognitive disorders was 6.9% according to MMSE. In total, 1326 participants without cognitive disorders were included in the analysis. The mean age was 77.4 years, and 52.1% of the participants were women. After a 2 years long follow-up, we found cognitive disorders on 92 participants (6.9%). Physical activity at baseline is lower in older adults for whom cognitive decline was observed after two years of follow-up. Subclass analyses showed that leisure and domestic activities were associated to cognitive decline, but not professional activities. Conclusions Analysis showed a relationship between cognitive disorders and type of physical activity. The current study will be completed by the MoCA for mild cognitive impairment. These findings compared to other ongoing studies will contribute to the debate on the beneficial effects of physical activity on cognition. Key messages The work allowed us to analyze the link between the different types of physical activity and mild to severe cognitive disorders. The aim is to put in place preventive policies of aging. The work allowed us to see the effect of the different types of physical activity and the impact of the statistical method on the results.

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