BEHAVIORAL CORRELATES OF COGNITIVELY HEALTHY ADULTS

Abstract

Data were collected from cognitively healthy subjects enrolled in the TOMMORROW study. This is a Phase 3 clinical trial investigating a biomarker to predict the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It is also evaluating the efficacy of low-dose pioglitazone in delaying the onset of MCI in subjects who are considered high risk according to the biomarker algorithm. Thousands of cognitively healthy volunteers were screened for this study. We designed a sub-study at our research site in conjunction with this larger study, to create a ‘snapshot’ of the highly functioning senior. Through analysis of the data, certain trends in behavior and lifestyle were identified. 100 charts were randomly chosen for data collection. All of the subjects who completed the baseline visit and qualified with normal cognitive assessments were enrolled in the TOMMORROW study and eligible for the sub-study. The subjects were between ages 65 and 83 years and all determined to be cognitively normal. Charts were reviewed for subjects prior to any type of study intervention. The categories included gender, level of education, employment status, level and type of physical activity, volunteer status, hobbies/interests, sleep satisfaction, and supplement use. Male/female ratio was evenly matched. 82% had an education level of 13 years and above. 72% were unemployed/retired. 68% engaged in moderate (3-4 times/week) or high (5 or more times/week) levels of physical activity; endurance activities (walking/hiking) were most popular at 61%. All subjects reported at least one hobby or interest; friends/family/church were the most common. 75% were satisfied with sleep. The highest utilized supplements were aspirin and multivitamin. This sub-study has given us a valuable profile of the cognitively healthy senior enrolled in the TOMMORROW study. While these patterns of behavior do not indicate causality, they suggest avenues for future research. Much information can be obtained from such a large community-based study, to enhance our knowledge beyond the primary intent of the study. Studying healthy seniors will help us gain a better understanding of those who are ill as well as potential insights into prevention.