Early and late life cognitive activity and cognitive systems in old age

Abstract

Little is known about the relative benefits of cognitively stimulating activities at different points in the lifespan. In a cohort of 576 older persons without dementia, we assessed current and past (childhood, young adulthood, middle age) frequency of cognitive activity; availability of cognitively stimulating resources in the home in childhood and middle age; and 5 domains of cognitive function. Past cognitive activity and cognitive resources were positively correlated with both current cognitive activity and current cognitive function. The association with cognitive function was reduced after controlling for current cognitive activity, however. Current cognitive activity was associated with better cognitive function, especially semantic memory and perceptual speed, even after controlling for past activity. The results suggest that past cognitive activity contributes to current cognition principally through its association with cognitive activity in old age. (JINS, 2005,11, 400–407.)

Terminal Cognitive Decline: Accelerated Loss of Cognition in the Last Years of Life

“…In secondary analyses, we used similarly constructed composite measures of episodic memory (n ϭ 7 tests), semantic memory (n ϭ 3 tests), perceptual speed (n ϭ 4 tests), and visuospatial ability (n ϭ 2 tests), based in part on previous factor analyses of the tests at baseline. Further information on the individual tests and the derivation and computation of the composite measures are contained in previous publications (21)(22)(23).…”

Mild cognitive impairment

“…Further psychometric information on this composite measure is contained in previous publications. 34 Clinical diagnoses. Clinical diagnoses were performed using a three-stage process, as previously described.…”

Cognitive Reserve and Lifestyle in Spanish Individuals With Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Our findings are similar to those obtained by many authors who have considered different variables as representative of high CR: a high educational level, 3,10,68-70 high professional performance, 3,71 and high reading activity. 44 Authors such as Kliegel et al, 48 Richards et al, 32 Richards and Saker, 47 Wilson et al, 43 and Fritsch et al 8 maintain that CR has a dynamic nature, that is, although the initial level of reserve may be determined by innate differences or childhood cognitive activity, there are also processes in youth, adulthood, and old age that can act to increase or decrease that reserve, and authors such as De la Barrera et al 2 show that CR is not stable throughout our lives but is rather a dynamic process that evolves with age and has crucial implications for cognitive functioning in the later stages of life.…”

“…Besides genetic determinants and prenatal exposure, early influences include birth order, 24 material domestic conditions, 25 the encouragement or support of parents, 26 physical growth, 27 and physical health. 28 The factors associated with cognitive benefits during maturity include physical activity, [29][30][31][32][33] nutrition, [34][35][36][37][38] social and intellectual commitment, [39][40][41][42][43] reading, 44 or any other type of cognitively stimulating activity. 45,46 Taking into account all the above factors, Katzman 24 considers that they follow a specific order in time, in which genetic conditions intervene first, then early exposure, and finally factors related to adulthood that can delay the clinical expression of the disease.…”