Pet ownership and cognitive decline in older people

Animals can have a positive influence on human health. However, it is not yet known whether pet ownership can prevent cognitive decline. Therefore, we aimed to investigate cross-sectional and prospective associations between pet ownership and cognitive function in a large, representative sample of older adults. Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) using data collected in wave 5 and six years later in wave 8. Pet ownership was categorized as no pet, dog, cat or other pet. Cognitive function was assessed using tests of verbal fluency (assessed by asking how many different animals the participants could name in 60 seconds) and memory (sum of immediate and delayed verbal recall). Multiple linear regression, adjusted for potential confounders, was used to test the associations between pet ownership and cognitive function. A total of 8291 people (mean age: 66.72 years) were included. In cross-sectional analyses, dog owners had better verbal fluency than individuals with no pet, but there was no significant difference between cat or other pet owners and those with no pet. In prospective analyses, dog owners had a significantly larger decline in recall than those with no pet, whilst cat owners had a significantly smaller decline in verbal fluency. These results provide some evidence to suggest that pet ownership may have positive effects on cognition in later life. However, benefits of pet ownership were not unilaterally observed across different types of pet and measures of cognitive function suggesting that further research is required.

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Association of parathyroid hormone with 20-year cognitive decline

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000004290 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 89 (9) ◽

pp. 918-926 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Samuel M. Kim ◽

Di Zhao ◽

Andrea L.C. Schneider ◽

Sai Krishna Korada ◽

Pamela L. Lutsey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parathyroid Hormone ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Large Population ◽

Population Based ◽

Cognitive Testing ◽

Word Recall ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significant Difference

Objective:We hypothesized that elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels will be independently associated with 20-year cognitive decline in a large population-based cohort.Methods:We studied 12,964 middle-aged white and black ARIC participants without a history of prior stroke who, in 1990–1992 (baseline), had serum PTH levels measured and cognitive function testing, with repeat cognitive testing performed at up to 2 follow-up visits. Cognitive testing included the Delayed Word Recall, the Digit Symbol Substitution, and the Word Fluency tests, which were summed as a globalZscore. Using mixed-effects models, we compared the relative decline in individual and global cognitive scores between each of the top 3 quartiles of PTH levels to the reference bottom quartile. We adjusted for demographic variables, education, vascular risk factors, and levels of calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D. We imputed missing covariate and follow-up cognitive data to account for attrition.Results:The mean (SD) age of our cohort was 57 (6) years, 57% were women, and 24% were black. There was no cross-sectional association of elevated PTH with cognitive globalZscore at baseline (p> 0.05). Over a median of 20.7 years, participants in each PTH quartile showed a decline in cognitive function. However, there was no significant difference in cognitive decline between each of the top 3 quartiles and the lowest reference quartile (p> 0.05). In a subset, there was also no association of higher mid-life PTH levels with late-life prevalent adjudicated dementia (p> 0.05).Conclusions:Our work does not support an independent influence of PTH on cognitive decline in this population-based cohort study.

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TOWARD AN OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF COGNITIVE LIFESTYLE: MODELING RESERVE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1800 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S484-S485

Author(s):

Lisa Swann ◽

Fiona E Matthews

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

Later Life ◽

Operational Definition ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Occupational Complexity ◽

Definition Of ◽

Cognitive Lifestyle

Abstract A recent systematic review of current definitions of cognitive reserve across the lifespan was undertaken by our group and five reserve constructs were identified: Educational attainment, sociological position, occupational complexity, cognitive ability, and engagement in leisure activities. The aim of this study was to test whether the different constructs are predictive of cognitive performance in older adults. A theoretical model of cognitive lifestyle was designed to assess reserve across the lifespan and the different measures were mapped in individuals aged >=65 years (N=7,762; 54.47% women) from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS II). Multivariable logistic regression analyses, controlling for age and sex, were used to determine the relationship between later life cognitive function and the five identified measures of reserve. In support of previous findings, the results show that risk of cognitive decline decreases with additional education (OR=0.89; 95% CI= 0.86, 0.94), increasing fluid intelligence (OR=1.00; 95% CI= 0.99, 1.00), and participation in leisure activities (OR= 0.27; 95% CI=0.17, 0.42), and that the lower the hierarchical position of a person’s social strata, the greater their odds of cognitive impairment in later life (OR=1.02; 95% CI=1.00, 1.05). However, though greater occupational complexity with data (OR=1.11; 95% CI=1.03, 1.19) and with people (OR=1.10; 95% CI= 1.03, 1.19) was found to be protective of cognitive decline as expected, greater occupational complexity with things was associated with greater decline (OR=0.98; 95% CI=0.93, 1.04). Given the cross-sectional nature of the present study, further longitudinal work is needed to ascertain what is driving these results.

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Arterial Stiffness Is Associated with White Matter Disruption and Cognitive Impairment: A Community-Based Cohort Study

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-201424 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (2) ◽

pp. 567-576

Author(s):

Fei Han ◽

Fei-Fei Zhai ◽

Ming-Li Li ◽

Li-Xin Zhou ◽

Jun Ni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

White Matter ◽

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Sex Education ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

White Matter Injury ◽

White Matter Integrity ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: Mechanisms through which arterial stiffness impacts cognitive function are crucial for devising better strategies to prevent cognitive decline. Objective: To examine the associations of arterial stiffness with white matter integrity and cognition in community dwellings, and to investigate whether white matter injury was the intermediate of the associations between arterial stiffness and cognition. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis on 952 subjects (aged 55.5±9.1 years) who underwent diffusion tensor imaging and measurement of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Both linear regression and tract-based spatial statistics were used to investigate the association between baPWV and white matter integrity. The association between baPWV and global cognitive function, measured as the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was evaluated. Mediation analysis was performed to assess the influence of white matter integrity on the association of baPWV with MMSE. Results: Increased baPWV was significantly associated with lower mean global fractional anisotropy (β= –0.118, p < 0.001), higher mean diffusivity (β= 0.161, p < 0.001), axial diffusivity (β= 0.160, p < 0.001), and radial diffusivity (β= 0.147, p < 0.001) after adjustment of age, sex, and hypertension, which were measures having a direct effect on arterial stiffness and white matter integrity. After adjustment of age, sex, education, apolipoprotein E ɛ4, cardiovascular risk factors, and brain atrophy, we found an association of increased baPWV with worse performance on MMSE (β= –0.093, p = 0.011). White matter disruption partially mediated the effect of baPWV on MMSE. Conclusion: Arterial stiffness is associated with white matter disruption and cognitive decline. Reduced white matter integrity partially explained the effect of arterial stiffness on cognition.

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Perception of Neighborhood Characteristics During Childhood and Cognitive Health Among Older Adults in China

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1419 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 439-439

Author(s):

Changmin Peng ◽

Sae Hwang Han ◽

Jeffrey Burr

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Social Cohesion ◽

Later Life ◽

Neighborhood Characteristics ◽

Neighborhood Safety ◽

Cognitive Health ◽

Childhood Conditions ◽

Neighborhood Environments

Abstract Neighborhood environments shape the availability of resources for social engagement and social interaction, which are associated with better health outcomes. However, these contextual factors are also considered sources of potential social distress and tension, increasing the risk of subsequent health deficits, including cognitive decline. Our understanding of the linkage between childhood neighborhood environments and cognitive functioning in later life is limited. This study employed three waves of nationally representative data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2015; N = 11,105) to investigate the relationship between self-reported neighborhood social cohesion during childhood (i.e., neighborhood safety, neighbors willing to help, and close-knit neighborhood) and cognitive functioning (Chinese version of TICS). We employed latent growth curve modeling to test hypotheses relating to life course models of childhood conditions and later life cognitive functioning (the long arm of childhood). The results showed that perceptions regarding the willingness of neighbors to help and close-knit neighborhood characteristics during childhood were positively associated with levels of later life cognitive function. Further, growing up in a neighborhood characterized by the willingness of neighbors to help others was negatively associated with the rate of cognitive decline, net of childhood and adulthood covariates. Self-report of neighborhood safety during childhood was unrelated to cognitive function (level and change). These findings underscored the long-term ramifications of childhood conditions as potential risk factors for later-life cognitive health. Social cohesion at the neighborhood level as experienced during childhood may be a protective factor for healthy cognitive aging among older Chinese adults.

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Effects of Participation in Social Activities on Cognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15102315 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. 2315 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jongnam Hwang ◽

Sangmin Park ◽

Sujin Kim

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Social Activity ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Social Activities ◽

The Social ◽

Gender Groups

Cognitive function is a critical health issue in later life, the decline of which disrupts well-being and daily life function. Cognitive decline in older ages can also be understood in the context of the social environment such as social connectedness and engagement in personal life. This study aimed to examine: (1) whether participation in social activities contributes to preventing cognitive decline, and (2) what type of social activities are beneficial to maintaining cognitive function. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA) 2006–2014, a longitudinal survey of the household-dwelling population aged 45 and older in Korea were used. The results revealed that Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores decreased with increasing age, at a rate of approximately 0.18 units across all age-gender groups, and the decrease was steeper for adults aged 65 and over. Participation in social gatherings was likely to delay the decline in cognitive function after the age of 65. In a gender-stratified model, social activity may not have an impact on the decline of cognitive function for men, whereas participation in social gatherings was negatively related to the decline of MMSE scores in women. This study suggests the need for a gender-stratified policy for preventing the decline of cognitive function while promoting engagement in social activities in Korean older adults.

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Behavioral interventions to benefit cognition (Intervenciones cognitivas para beneficiar la cognición)

Retos ◽

10.47197/retos.v0i27.34377 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 197-202

Author(s):

Jennifer L. Etnier ◽

Chia-Hao Shih ◽

Aaron Piepmeier

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Behavioral Interventions ◽

Animal Studies ◽

Exercise Intervention ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

Future Research ◽

Dietary Interventions ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Age Related

With the growing population of older adults, the identification of treatment strategies to prevent or ameliorate age-related cognitive decline has been an important topic in recent years. After reviewing cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimentally designed studies, as well as evidence from narrative and meta-analytic reviews, the authors concluded that behavioral approaches such as physical activity, cognitive training, and dietary interventions show promising results. In addition, given the likelihood that multiple underlying mechanisms support cognitive function, research is currently focusing on how to combine lifestyle factors into multi-component interventions to generate greater and more meaningful effects. Though evidence for these enhanced benefits exists from animal studies, few multi-component studies have been performed with humans. However, the findings from these studies are promising and a continued pursuit of multi-component behavioral interventions to benefit cognitive performance is warranted. Given the world’s aging population and accompanying age-related health issues such as cognitive decline and dementia, future research should focus on understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for these effects in order to allow for the development of behavioral lifestyle prescriptions to benefit cognitive performance.Keywords. aging, cognitive function, exercise intervention, oxidative stress, cognitive engagement.Resumen. Con la creciente población de adultos mayores, la identificación de las estrategias de tratamiento para prevenir o mejorar el deterioro cognitivo relacionado con la edad ha sido un tema importante en los últimos años. Después de revisar estudios con diseños transversales, longitudinales y experimentales, así como la evidencia de revisiones de literatura narrativa y meta-analítica, los autores concluyen que los enfoques conductuales como la actividad física, el entrenamiento cognitivo y las intervenciones dietéticas muestran resultados prometedores. Además, dada la probabilidad de que múltiples mecanismos subyacentes apoyan la función cognitiva, las investigaciones se enfocan actualmente en la manera de cómo combinar factores del estilo de vida en las intervenciones con múltiples componentes para generar efectos mayores y más significativos. Aunque existe evidencia de estos beneficios a partir de estudios en animales, se han realizado pocos estudios de componentes múltiples en humanos. Sin embargo, los resultados de estos estudios son prometedores y se garantiza un seguimiento continuo de las intervenciones conductuales de componentes múltiples para beneficiar el rendimiento cognitivo. Teniendo en cuenta el envejecimiento de la población mundial y los problemas de salud relacionados con la edad que la acompañan, tales como el deterioro cognitivo y la demencia, la investigación futura debería centrarse en la comprensión de los mecanismos biológicos responsables de estos efectos con el fin de permitir el desarrollo de las prescripciones de comportamiento de estilo de vida para beneficiar el rendimiento cognitivo.Palabras claves. envejecimiento, funcionamiento cognitivo, intervención con ejercicio, estrés oxidativo, participación cognitiva.

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Comparison of Quality of Life between Active and Inactive Workers

Journal of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences ◽

10.18502/ssu.v28i8.4453 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Hassan Dashty Khavidaki ◽

Mahmood Kamali Zarch ◽

Naser Mohammadi Ahmadabadi ◽

Haider Hosseini

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Mental Condition ◽

Positive Role ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Sf 36 ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Cement Manufacturing

Introduction: Numerous important factors such as physical and mental condition affect the quality of life Job stress is one of the key factors in decreasing productivity in organizations. Given the positive effects of physical activity on quality of life, this study aimed to compare the quality of life between active and inactive workers (case study). Methods: This study was a cross-sectional comparative study.190 tile and cement-manufacturing workers who were eligible for the study were selected completely voluntarily, based on a convenience sampling. Of these, according to Beck questionnaire, 88 were selected in inactive and 64 in active groups; Weir and Sherborn questionnaire was used for assessing the quality of life (SF-36). For analysis the data, independent T-test and SPSS 23 software were used for analysis (P≤0.05). Results: The results showed that physical, psychological and quality of life components in the active group of cement factory workers were (p = 0.012) (p = 0.001) (p = 0.005) and tile workers (p = 0.012) (P = 0.005) (p = 0.014) was a significant and more compare to the inactive group, but there was no significant difference between active and inactive workers of the two tile and cement factories. Conclusion: The results of this study showed the positive role of exercise and physical activity on the quality of life of people working in cement and tile factories. It seems easier physical activity and sports are related to the quality of life of workers and have nothing to do with the workplace.

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Effect of FOXO3 and Air Pollution on Cognitive Function: A Longitudinal Cohort Study of Older Adults in China from 2000 to 2014

The Journals of Gerontology Series A ◽

10.1093/gerona/glac016 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

John S Ji ◽

Linxin Liu ◽

Yi Zeng ◽

Lijing L Yan

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Mmse Score ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Human Longevity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Minor Alleles

Abstract Forkhead Box O 3 (FOXO3) genotype is strongly associated with human longevity and may be protective against neurodegeneration. Air pollution is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. We aimed to study the individual and combined effects of FOXO3 and air pollution on cognitive function in a large prospective cohort with up to 14 years of follow-up. We measured cognitive function and impairment using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We used tagging SNPs rs2253310, rs2802292, and rs4946936 to identify the FOXO3 gene, of which roughly half of the population had the longevity associated polymorphism. We matched annual average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations within 1 km^2 grid. We conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses using multivariable linear and logistic regression models and generalized estimating equation. At baseline, carriers of the longevity associated homozygous minor alleles of FOXO3 SNPs had a higher MMSE score than the carriers of homozygous major alleles. In the longitudinal follow-up, carriers of FOXO3 homozygous minor alleles had lower odds of cognitive impairment compared to non-carriers. Higher PM2.5 was associated with a lower MMSE score and higher odds of cognitive impairment. The positive effects of FOXO3 were the strongest in females, older people, and residents in areas with lower air pollution.

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Relationship between the Japanese-style diet, gut microbiota, and dementia: a cross-sectional study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-255821/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Naoki Saji ◽

Tsuyoshi Tsuduki ◽

Kenta Murotani ◽

Takayoshi Hisada ◽

Taiki Sugimoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dietary Composition ◽

Microbial Metabolites ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Fish And Shellfish ◽

Japanese Diet

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown associations between the gut microbiota, microbial metabolites, and cognitive decline. However, the effect of the dietary composition on such associations has not been fully investigated. Methods We performed a cross-sectional sub-analysis of data from our prospective hospital-based cohort study (the Gimlet study) to evaluate the relationships between dietary composition, cognitive decline, and the gut microbiota. All the participants of the Gimlet study had been provided with information regarding this sub-study in 2018. Patients were excluded if they were unable to provide sufficient data in the questionnaire regarding their dietary composition. We assessed their demographics, dietary composition, risk factors, cognitive function, results of brain imaging, gut microbiome, and microbial metabolites. On the basis of previous studies, a nine-component traditional Japanese diet index (JDI9), a 12-component modern JDI (JDI12), and a 12-component revised JDI (rJDI12), were defined. Higher JDI scores indicated greater conformity to the traditional Japanese diet. We then evaluated the relationships between the JDI scores, cognitive function, and the gut microbiome and microbial metabolites using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results We analyzed data from 85 eligible patients (61% women; mean age: 74.6 ± 7.4 years; mean Mini-Mental State Examination score: 24 ± 5). Compared with participants with dementia, those without dementia were more likely to consume foods in the JDI12, including fish and shellfish (64.5% vs. 39.1%, P = 0.048), mushrooms (61.3% vs. 30.4%, P = 0.015), soybeans and soybean-derived foods (62.9% vs. 30.4%, P = 0.013), and coffee (71.0% vs. 43.5%, P = 0.024). There were non-significant trends towards lower fecal concentrations of gut microbial metabolites in participants with a more traditional Japanese diet. Participants with dementia had lower JDI9, JDI12, and rJDI12 scores than participants without dementia (dementia vs. non-dementia, median JDI9 score: 5 vs. 7, P = 0.049; JDI12: 7 vs. 8, P = 0.017; and rJDI12: 7 vs. 9, P = 0.006, respectively). Conclusions Adherence to a traditional Japanese diet was found to be inversely associated with cognitive decline and tended to be associated with lower concentrations of gut microbial metabolites. Trial registration: UMIN000031851.

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Effects of Pet Insects on Cognitive Function among the Elderly: An fMRI Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm8101705 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 1705 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ji-Yeon Park ◽

Hae-Jin Ko ◽

A-Sol Kim ◽

Ha-Na Moon ◽

Hye-In Choi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Elderly Women ◽

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Healthy Elderly ◽

Insect Rearing ◽

Group I ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Group Ii

Animal-assisted therapy has positive effects on cognitive function, depression, performance ability, and social functioning in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of rearing pet insects on the cognitive function of healthy elderly participants, with fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) being used for this purpose. Community-dwelling right-handed elderly women (≥60 years) with normal cognitive function were enrolled and randomized at a 1:1 ratio into two groups: insect-rearing and control (n = 16) groups, with the insect-rearing group being further classified into two groups for analysis according to the subjects’ scores in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, WCST) at the baseline fMRI: Insect-rearing group I with a relatively high score (n = 13), and insect-rearing group II with a relatively low score (n = 6). The insect-rearing groups received and reared crickets as pet insects for 8 weeks. The WCST consisted of two variations, a high level baseline (HLB) and semi-WCST version. There was a significant difference accuracy of the HLB–semi-WCST (p < 0.05) in insect-rearing group II after 8 weeks from the baseline test. In the fMRI analysis involving the WCST reaction test, increased activation was observed in the right dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex in insect-rearing group II when the semi-WCST, rather than the HLB, was performed. Rearing pet insects showed positive effects on executive functions and performance improvement in elderly women. Further larger studies on the effects of pet insects on cognitive function are warranted.

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