Tam Watermeyer1,2, Jantje Goerdten1,3, Boo Johansson4, Graciela Muniz-Terrera1. 1. Edinburgh Dementia Prevention, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. 2. Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK. 3. Department of Epidemiological Methods and Etiological Research, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Bremen, Germany. 4. Department of Psychology, Centre for Ageing and Health (AgeCap), University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cognitive dispersion, or inconsistencies in performance across cognitive domains, has been posited as a cost-effective tool to predict conversion to dementia in older adults. However, there is a dearth of studies exploring cognitive dispersion in the oldest-old (>80 years) and its relationship to dementia incidence. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to examine whether higher cognitive dispersion at baseline was associated with dementia incidence within an 8-year follow-up of very old adults, while controlling for established risk factors and suggested protective factors for dementia. METHODS: Participants (n = 468) were from the Origins of Variance in the Old-Old: Octogenarian Twins study, based on the Swedish Twin Registry. Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between baseline cognitive dispersion scores and dementia incidence, while controlling for sociodemographic variables, ApoEe4 carrier status, co-morbidities, zygosity and lifestyle engagement scores. An additional model included a composite of average cognitive performance. RESULTS: Cognitive dispersion and ApoEe4 were significantly associated with dementia diagnosis. These variables remained statistically significant when global cognitive performance was entered into the model. Likelihood ratio tests revealed that cognitive dispersion and cognitive composite scores entered together in the same model was superior to either predictor alone in the full model. CONCLUSIONS: The study underscores the usefulness of cognitive dispersion metrics for dementia prediction in the oldest-old and highlights the influence of ApoEe4 on cognition in very late age. Our findings concur with others suggesting that health and lifestyle factors pose little impact upon cognition in very advanced age.
BACKGROUND: Cognitive dispersion, or inconsistencies in performance across cognitive domains, has been posited as a cost-effective tool to predict conversion to dementia in older adults. However, there is a dearth of studies exploring cognitive dispersion in the oldest-old (>80 years) and its relationship to dementia incidence. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to examine whether higher cognitive dispersion at baseline was associated with dementia incidence within an 8-year follow-up of very old adults, while controlling for established risk factors and suggested protective factors for dementia. METHODS: Participants (n = 468) were from the Origins of Variance in the Old-Old: Octogenarian Twins study, based on the Swedish Twin Registry. Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between baseline cognitive dispersion scores and dementia incidence, while controlling for sociodemographic variables, ApoEe4 carrier status, co-morbidities, zygosity and lifestyle engagement scores. An additional model included a composite of average cognitive performance. RESULTS: Cognitive dispersion and ApoEe4 were significantly associated with dementia diagnosis. These variables remained statistically significant when global cognitive performance was entered into the model. Likelihood ratio tests revealed that cognitive dispersion and cognitive composite scores entered together in the same model was superior to either predictor alone in the full model. CONCLUSIONS: The study underscores the usefulness of cognitive dispersion metrics for dementia prediction in the oldest-old and highlights the influence of ApoEe4 on cognition in very late age. Our findings concur with others suggesting that health and lifestyle factors pose little impact upon cognition in very advanced age.
Authors: Kay Deckers; Sebastian Köhler; Martin van Boxtel; Frans Verhey; Carol Brayne; Jane Fleming Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2017-02-02 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Eric D Anderson; Michelle Wahoske; Mary Huber; Derek Norton; Zhanhai Li; Rebecca L Koscik; Emre Umucu; Sterling C Johnson; Jana Jones; Sanjay Asthana; Carey E Gleason Journal: Alzheimers Dement (Amst) Date: 2016-05-26
Authors: Tomiko Yoneda; Alejandra Marroig; Eileen K Graham; Emily C Willroth; Tamlyn Watermeyer; Emorie D Beck; Elizabeth M Zelinski; Chandra A Reynolds; Nancy L Pedersen; Scott M Hofer; Daniel K Mroczek; Graciela Muniz-Terrera Journal: Neuropsychology Date: 2021-11-22 Impact factor: 3.295