Young-Old City-Dwellers Outperform Village Counterparts in Attention and Verbal Control Tasks

Abstract

Cognitive performance is dynamic and shaped by individual biological and environmental factors throughout life. In psychology, besides the effects of age, education, and other often studied factors, the complexity of the lived-in environment and urbanicity in that context are yet to be elucidated. In this observational cross-sectional study, we compare cognitive performance in standard neuropsychological tests in healthy older persons from three different types of settlements in the Czechia: the capital city of Prague, towns, and villages. The groups were equal in terms of the age-band (60–74 years), the distribution of gender, education, past and current leisure activities, and cognitive health status (MMSE score). The results showed that Prague citizens had consistently better performance in all verbal tests (for memory and verbal control, i.e., executive function) and attention than persons from other areas. The groups did not differ in timed visuo-graphomotor performance. The conclusion is that the complex environment of a city may promote, in the long-term, certain cognitive abilities, distinguishable even in a developed, culturally homogenous country. The implications are: (a) the description of samples used in normative studies should include information on the lived-in environment for the reference of researchers and clinicians; and (b) individual clinical assessment should reflect the role of the patient’s environment where appropriate. The exact mechanisms and causes of the differences need further investigation.

Physical activity and cognitive function: A comparison of rural and urban breast cancer survivors

“…The cognitive performance findings mirror those in the aging literature, which posits that rural dwellers may suffer greater cognitive impairment than urban residents [62,63]. Factors of urban life, such as complex living environments, time-pressured problem solving, leisure-time activities, and increased likelihood of personal interactions, have been identified as stimulating factors for attention, verbal memory, and visual processing [62]. As such, interventions targeting modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline (e.g., PA) may be specifically important in rural BCS.…”

Risk and protective factors of neurocognitive disorders in older adults in Central and Eastern Europe: A systematic review of population-based studies

“…A study from the Czech Republic suggested that living in a big city is associated with higher cognitive performance only in some domains [ 42 ]. They found better memory, attention and verbal control performance in the citizens of Prague in comparison to other areas (towns, villages).…”

Green Is Not the Same as Green: Differentiating Between the Association of Trees and Open Green Spaces With Children’s Brain Structure in the Netherlands

“…Moreover, there is some evidence suggesting a positive association between green space around the home address and well-being in children and a negative association with depressive symptoms in adolescents and young adults (Vanaken & Danckaerts, 2018). The most prominent exception to the benefits of green space on mental health seems to be observed in older adults, where dementia is reported to be less frequent in urban compared to rural areas and cognitive performance seems to be higher in more urban areas (Georgi et al, 2019; Robbins et al, 2019). To better understand the potential underlying brain-based mechanisms of these mental health effects of green space exposure, neuroimaging studies are needed, that associate green space with brain structure.…”