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bioRxiv · 10.1101/267831

Lifestyle activities in mid-life contribute to cognitive reserve in late-life, independent of education, occupation and late-life activities

Chan, D.·Shafto, M.·Kievit, R.·Matthews, F.·Spink, M.·Valenzuela, M.·Cam-CAN,·Henson, R.
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Abstract

IntroductionThis study tested the hypothesis that mid-life intellectual, physical and social activities contribute to cognitive reserve (CR).\n\nMethods205 individuals (196 with MRI) aged 66-88 from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (www.cam-can.com) were studied, with cognitive ability and structural brain health measured as fluid IQ and total grey matter volume, respectively. Mid-life activities were measured using the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire.\n\nResultsMultivariable linear regression found that mid-life activities (MA) made a unique contribution to late-life cognitive ability independent of education, occupation and late-life activities. Crucially, MA moderated the relationship between late-life cognitive ability and brain structure, with the cognitive ability of people with higher MA less dependent on their brain structure, consistent with the concept of CR.\n\nConclusions. Mid-life intellectual, physical and social activities contribute uniquely to CR. The modifiability of these activities has implications for public health initiatives aimed at dementia prevention.

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Chan, D., Shafto, M., Kievit, R., Matthews, F., Spink, M., Valenzuela, M., Cam-CAN,, Henson, R.. 2018-02-19. Lifestyle activities in mid-life contribute to cognitive reserve in late-life, independent of education, occupation and late-life activities. https://doi.org/10.1101/267831

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