Francisca S Rodriguez1, Matthias L Schroeter2, A Veronica Witte3, Christoph Engel4, Markus Löffler4, Joachim Thiery5, Arno Villringer2, Tobias Luck6, Steffi G Riedel-Heller7. 1. Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: ft_278@usc.edu. 2. Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 3. Collaborative Research Centre 1052 "Obesity Mechanisms", University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 4. Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Subproject A1, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 5. Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 6. Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 7. Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The study investigated whether high mental demands at work, which have shown to promote a good cognitive functioning in old age, could offset the adverse association between social isolation and cognitive functioning. METHODS: Based on data from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study, the association between cognitive functioning (Verbal Fluency Test, Trail Making Test B) and social isolation (Lubben Social Network Scale) as well as mental demands at work (O*NET database) was analyzed via linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, education, and sampling weights. RESULTS: Cognitive functioning was significantly lower in socially isolated individuals and in individuals working in low mental demands jobs-even in old age after retirement and even after taking into account the educational level. An interaction effect suggested stronger effects of mental demands at work in socially isolated than nonisolated individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that working in high mental-demand jobs could offset the adverse association between social isolation and cognitive functioning. Further research should evaluate how interventions that target social isolation and enhance mentally demanding activities promote a good cognitive functioning in old age.
OBJECTIVES: The study investigated whether high mental demands at work, which have shown to promote a good cognitive functioning in old age, could offset the adverse association between social isolation and cognitive functioning. METHODS: Based on data from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study, the association between cognitive functioning (Verbal Fluency Test, Trail Making Test B) and social isolation (Lubben Social Network Scale) as well as mental demands at work (O*NET database) was analyzed via linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, education, and sampling weights. RESULTS: Cognitive functioning was significantly lower in socially isolated individuals and in individuals working in low mental demands jobs-even in old age after retirement and even after taking into account the educational level. An interaction effect suggested stronger effects of mental demands at work in socially isolated than nonisolated individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that working in high mental-demand jobs could offset the adverse association between social isolation and cognitive functioning. Further research should evaluate how interventions that target social isolation and enhance mentally demanding activities promote a good cognitive functioning in old age.
Authors: Jochen René Thyrian; Friederike Kracht; Angela Nikelski; Melanie Boekholt; Fanny Schumacher-Schönert; Anika Rädke; Bernhard Michalowsky; Horst Christian Vollmar; Wolfgang Hoffmann; Francisca S Rodriguez; Stefan H Kreisel Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2020-12-29 Impact factor: 3.921
Authors: Andrea E Zülke; Melanie Luppa; Susanne Röhr; Marina Weißenborn; Alexander Bauer; Franziska-Antonia Zora Samos; Flora Kühne; Isabel Zöllinger; Juliane Döhring; Christian Brettschneider; Anke Oey; David Czock; Thomas Frese; Jochen Gensichen; Walter E Haefeli; Wolfgang Hoffmann; Hanna Kaduszkiewicz; Hans-Helmut König; Jochen René Thyrian; Birgitt Wiese; Steffi G Riedel-Heller Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2021-12-10 Impact factor: 3.921