Megan E Lenehan1, Mathew J Summers2, Nichole L Saunders3, Jeffery J Summers1, David D Ward3, Karen Ritchie4, James C Vickers5. 1. School of Medicine (Psychology), University of Tasmania. 2. School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast. 3. Wicking Dementia Research & Education Centre, School of Medicine, University of Tasmania. 4. U1061 Neuropsychiatry, INSERM. 5. School of Medicine, University of Tasmania.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Increasing an individual's level of cognitive reserve (CR) has been suggested as a nonpharmacological approach to reducing the risk for Alzheimer's disease. We examined changes in CR in older adults participating over 4 years in the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project. METHOD: A sample of 459 healthy older adults between 50 and 79 years of age underwent a comprehensive annual assessment of current CR, neuropsychological function, and psychosocial factors over a 4-year period. The intervention group of 359 older adults (M = 59.61 years, SD = 6.67) having completed a minimum of 12 months part-time university study were compared against a control reference group of 100 adults (M = 62.49 years, SD = 6.24) who did not engage in further education. RESULTS: Growth mixture modeling demonstrated that 44.3% of the control sample showed no change in CR, whereas 92.5% of the further education participants displayed a significant linear increase in CR over the 4 years of the study. These results indicate that older adults engaging in high-level mental stimulation display an increase in CR over a 4-year period. CONCLUSION: Increasing mental activity in older adulthood may be a viable strategy to improve cognitive function and offset cognitive decline associated with normal aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE: Increasing an individual's level of cognitive reserve (CR) has been suggested as a nonpharmacological approach to reducing the risk for Alzheimer's disease. We examined changes in CR in older adults participating over 4 years in the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project. METHOD: A sample of 459 healthy older adults between 50 and 79 years of age underwent a comprehensive annual assessment of current CR, neuropsychological function, and psychosocial factors over a 4-year period. The intervention group of 359 older adults (M = 59.61 years, SD = 6.67) having completed a minimum of 12 months part-time university study were compared against a control reference group of 100 adults (M = 62.49 years, SD = 6.24) who did not engage in further education. RESULTS: Growth mixture modeling demonstrated that 44.3% of the control sample showed no change in CR, whereas 92.5% of the further education participants displayed a significant linear increase in CR over the 4 years of the study. These results indicate that older adults engaging in high-level mental stimulation display an increase in CR over a 4-year period. CONCLUSION: Increasing mental activity in older adulthood may be a viable strategy to improve cognitive function and offset cognitive decline associated with normal aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
Authors: R Ryan Darby; Michael Brickhouse; David A Wolk; Bradford C Dickerson Journal: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry Date: 2017-06-19 Impact factor: 10.154
Authors: N V O Bento-Torres; J Bento-Torres; A M Tomás; V O Costa; P G R Corrêa; C N M Costa; N Y V Jardim; C W Picanço-Diniz Journal: Braz J Med Biol Res Date: 2017-03-23 Impact factor: 2.590