Cardiorespiratory fitness is an important marker of cognitive performance in older Latin Americans

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundOur previous research with older non‐Hispanic whites demonstrated that with increasing cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) there was a concomitant linear increase in processing speed (PS) performance. PS has also been found in a number of reports as a potential precursor to memory decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive aging. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the same cognitive benefits imbued by CRF generalize within a healthy Latino aging community living in Costa Rica (CR).Method415 community dwelling older adults (315 CR and 100 non‐Hispanic whites living in the United States) with a mean age of 71 (SD = 5.29) years old were recruited from the Epidemiology and Development of Alzheimer’s Disease (EDAD), a large international study of Latino cognitive aging. Participants completed neuropsychological testing and a graded treadmill exercise stress test. We compared the relationship between Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope (OUES) and a composite measure of PS (Digit Symbol, Block Design, and Stroop Color Naming). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted.ResultCRF (OUES) significantly predicted PS within the CR (B = 0.50; p < .001) group and non‐Hispanic white (B = 0.25; p < .05) group after controlling for age and sex. The relationship between CRF and the PS factor showed a non‐significant misfit when the relationship was constrained to be equal on both groups (χ² (1) = 0.39, p = 0.53), hence the relationship is equivalent between groups.ConclusionIn a healthy sample of older individuals living in CR we found the same score profile and interrelationships that were identified among non‐Hispanic whites living in the United States. CRF and PS are clinically meaningful therapeutic targets for dementia prevention among older Latin Americans.