Teasing apart factors influencing executive function performance in bilinguals and monolinguals at different ages

Abstract This study attempts to tease apart a variety of factors that may contribute to performance on executive function tasks. Data from the Simon task is re-examined to determine the contributions of age, SES, language proficiency/vocabulary, general cognitive performance, and bilingualism on performance. The results suggest influence from a variety of factors, with a major contribution from relative age and from language proficiency, as measured by vocabulary. Bilingualism showed some effect in relation to older adults’ accuracy of performance, in both congruent and incongruent conditions, but not to reaction time.

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Chapter 19. Teasing apart factors influencing executive function performance in bilinguals and monolinguals at different ages

Studies in Bilingualism - Bilingualism, Executive Function, and Beyond ◽

10.1075/sibil.57.19gat ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 295-336

Author(s):

Virginia C. Mueller Gathercole ◽

Enlli Môn Thomas ◽

Nestor Viñas Guasch ◽

Ivan Kennedy ◽

Cynog Prys ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Different Ages

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How Older Adults Cope with Cognitive Complexity and Environmental Constraints during Dual-Task Walking: The Role of Executive Function Involvement

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16101835 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (10) ◽

pp. 1835 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Roberta Forte ◽

Caterina Pesce ◽

Angela Di Baldassarre ◽

John Shea ◽

Claudia Voelcker-Rehage ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Cognitive Complexity ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Activity Level ◽

Environmental Constraints

This cross-sectional study investigated the interactive dual-task (DT) effects of executive function demands and environmental constraints on older adults’ walking and the moderating role of habitual physical activity (PA). Locomotor performance under different environmental constraints (flat versus obstructed walking) and cognitive performance with different executive function involvement (backward counting versus random number generation) were assessed under single-task (ST) and DT conditions in 135 participants (mean age 68.1 ± 8.4). The weekly number of daily steps was measured. Reciprocal DT effects of walking on cognitive performance and of the cognitive task on gait performance were computed and submitted to analyses of covariance with age, PA level, and cognitive functioning as covariates, followed by linear regressions with PA level as predictor. Cognitive task demands and environmental constraints individually and jointly affected gait variability (p = 0.033, ηp2 = 0.08) and executive function performance (p = 0.009, ηp2 = 0.09). Physical activity level predicted a low but significant percentage of variance of DT effects on gait only in flat walking (R2 = 0.04, p = 0.027). Results suggest that older individuals may adopt variable task prioritization in dual tasking depending on the type of executive function involvement and the environmental constraints on walking. Their DT ability was slightly affected by habitual PA.

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The Impact of Bilingualism on Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.947 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 295-296

Author(s):

Hillary Rouse ◽

Brent Small ◽

John Schinka

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

English Speakers ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Neuropsychological Assessments ◽

The Impact

Abstract Research on bilingualism has found inconsistent results regarding its potential benefit on the cognitive abilities of older adults. The goal of the current study was to evaluate differences in cognition on a wide array of neuropsychological assessments between monolingual and bilingual cognitively healthy older adults who specifically speak only English and/or Spanish. The sample included cognitively intact older adults who were either monolingual (n=247) English speakers or bilingual (n=42) in English and Spanish. Performance was compared between groups from a battery of neuropsychological assessments that measured executive function, attention, short-term memory, and episodic memory. Compared to English and Spanish bilinguals, monolingual English speakers performed significantly better on a variety of tasks within the domains of executive function, attention, and short-term memory. No significant differences were found in favor of the bilinguals on any domain of cognitive performance. In the present study, we failed to observe a significant advantage for English and Spanish bilingual speakers on the cognitive performance of older adults when compared to monolingual English speakers. This study suggests that the bilingual advantage may not be as robust as originally reported, and the effects of bilingualism on cognition could be significantly impacted by the languages included in the study.

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Cognitive and perceptual responses during passive heat stress in younger and older adults

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.00010.2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 308 (10) ◽

pp. R847-R854 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Zachary J. Schlader ◽

Daniel Gagnon ◽

Amy Adams ◽

Eric Rivas ◽

C. Munro Cullum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Executive Function ◽

Reaction Time ◽

Visual Processing ◽

Control Period ◽

Spatial Span ◽

Time Control ◽

Younger Age ◽

Rapid Visual Processing

We tested the hypothesis that attention, memory, and executive function are impaired to a greater extent in passively heat-stressed older adults than in passively heat-stressed younger adults. In a randomized, crossover design, 15 older (age: 69 ± 5 yr) and 14 younger (age: 30 ± 4 yr) healthy subjects underwent passive heat stress and time control trials. Cognitive tests (outcomes: accuracy and reaction time) from the CANTAB battery evaluated attention [rapid visual processing (RVP), choice reaction time (CRT)], memory [spatial span (SSP), pattern recognition memory (PRM)], and executive function [one touch stockings of Cambridge (OTS)]. Testing was undertaken on two occasions during each trial, at baseline and after internal temperature had increased by 1.0 ± 0.2°C or after a time control period. For tests that measured attention, reaction time during RVP and CRT was slower ( P ≤ 0.01) in the older group. During heat stress, RVP reaction time improved ( P < 0.01) in both groups. Heat stress had no effect ( P ≥ 0.09) on RVP or CRT accuracy in either group. For tests that measured memory, accuracy on SSP and PRM was lower ( P < 0.01) in the older group, but there was no effect of heat stress ( P ≥ 0.14). For tests that measured executive function, overall, accuracy on OTS was lower, and reaction time was slower in the older group ( P ≤ 0.05). Reaction time generally improved during heat stress, but there was no effect of heat stress on accuracy in either group. These data indicate that moderate increases in body temperature during passive heat stress do not differentially compromise cognitive function in younger and older adults.

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The Association Between Obesity and Long-Term Cognitive Performance in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1222 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 379-380

Author(s):

Andrew Fiscella ◽

Ross Andel

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Oldest Old ◽

The United States ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Global Cognition

Abstract Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States and has been associated with negative health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, an obesity paradox has emerged which suggests that the effects of obesity may vary by age, with older adults potentially seeing a protective effect of obesity. This study examined the effects of overweight and obese status on cognitive performance at baseline and follow-up. It was hypothesized that obese middle-aged adults would perform worse than normal weight peers, but that reverse would be observed in older adults. Data from 701 participants in the Midlife in the United States study were included. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were employed as measures of obesity. Z-scores for executive function, memory, and global cognition were used to quantify cognitive performance. While obese participants tended to perform worse on average than normal weight individuals there were no significant differences in performance between obese and normal weight participants in global cognition (p=.134), executive function (p=.164), or episodic memory (p=.708). Additionally, age did not moderate this relationship. However, there was a significant effect of education on all three domains. When stratified by education, participants with some college or higher, had a significant time*obesity*age interaction (F[3,328]=3.016, p<.05). For the oldest-old participants, executive function scores were higher for obese participants at follow-up compared to normal weight participants, but not at baseline. These findings suggest that level of education may serve as a form of cognitive reserve which compensates for deficits due to obesity.

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Better Executive Function Is Associated With Faster On-Transition Aerobic Metabolism Among Older Adults

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.1177/0031512520941384 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 127 (5) ◽

pp. 823-840

Author(s):

Ligita Siline ◽

Arvydas Stasiulis ◽

Loreta Stasiule

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Executive Function ◽

Reaction Time ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Ventilatory Threshold ◽

Aerobic Metabolism ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Kinetics Of ◽

Interference Score

The present study aimed to examine relationships between executive function (EF) and variables of aerobic fitness. Participants were 32 healthy older adults ( M age = 65.1, SD = 6.6 years). We measured the first ventilatory threshold (VeT1) and the kinetics of oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]O2), heart rate (HR), and muscle deoxygenation [HHb] during treadmill walking of either constant, moderate intensity, or increasing intensity. We assessed EF with a computerized Stroop test and Stroop measures of correct answers, reaction time, and percent interference. We found the Stroop interference score to be negatively associated with the VeT1 ( r = –0.387, p = 0.031) and positively associated with the on-transition aerobic metabolism time constant (τ) of HR ( r = 0.519, p = 0.003), [Formula: see text]O2 ( r = 0.454; p = 0.010), and [HHb] ( r = 0.644, p = 0.001). Correct responses were negatively related with τHR ( r = –0.372, p = 0.039) and τ[Formula: see text]O2 ( r = –0.500, p = 0.004). The Stroop average reaction time, congruent reaction time and incongruent reaction time were positively related to τ[HHb] ( r = 0.507, p = 0.010; r = 0.437, p = 0.029; r = 0.558, p = 0.004, respectively). Better EF was associated with faster on-transition aerobic metabolism and higher aerobic fitness among older adults.

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Associations Between Actigraphy-Assessed Health Behaviors and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.153 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 41-41

Author(s):

Alex Laffer ◽

Hilary Hicks ◽

Genna Losinski ◽

Amber Watts

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Executive Function ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Brain Aging ◽

Sleep Onset ◽

Living Environment

Abstract Lifestyle behaviors are important determinants of healthy brain aging. Research has not fully explored how sleep quality and physical activity may differentially influence specific domains of cognitive function. The present study aimed to estimate the relative influence of sleep quality and physical activity on cognitive performance in three domains in a sample of older adults. Older adults (ages 60-89, M = 74.74) without cognitive impairment (N= 160) wore an accelerometer for 7 days in a free-living environment. We used average vector magnitude counts per minute to measure total physical activity (TPA), and average wake after sleep onset (WASO) to measure sleep quality. We created cognitive composite scores (executive function, attention, and verbal memory) from neuropsychological data using confirmatory factor analysis. We regressed cognitive scores onto TPA and WASO with age and education entered as covariates. Higher amounts of physical activity and better sleep quality were associated with better executive function (R2 = 20.3%, F (4, 155) = 11.12, p < .001). Neither physical activity nor sleep quality was associated with verbal memory or attention. Results suggest that more physical activity and improved ability to stay asleep may benefit executive function, but not other cognitive domains. Future studies should clarify the interaction and mechanisms of action between health behaviors and cognitive performance in older adults.

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