Abstract
Background: Cognitive reserve is a way of explaining why some individuals with a high degree of brain pathology are without clinical manifestations. In this study, factors related to systemic diseases, body composition, aerobic capacity, past and current behavior were examined and included as predictors of cognitive function.Materials and Methods: 407 subjects (60–88 years old) underwent physical examination and cognitive function assessment [Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Trail Making Test Part B (TMT B)]. Predictors of cognitive functioning were evaluated: occupational status (OS), diet, mental and touristic activities were assessed using an ad hoc questionnaire. Aerobic capacity was measured using a six-minute walk test (6MWT).Results: With each year of age there is a decrease in MMSE score by 0.18 points. Varicose veins on lower extremities and low OS were also significantly associated with MMSE result. For every year of having hypertension, low OS and not being abroad in the last 3 years, there was 0.17, 0.30, and 0.16 less points, respectively, and 0.15 more point per one additional meter walked in 6MWT in the MoCA score. With each year of age and for low OS there was there were 0.31 and 0.21 s more to complete TMT B, respectively.Conclusion: Education, OS, presence of systemic diseases and social and tourist activities, aerobic capacity and body composition could be considered as factors contributing to cognitive functioning in older people. However, the relationship of above mentioned factors with education level and cognitive function may be not fully orthogonal.
Highlights
Aging is inevitable for all living creatures, it seems that an individual’s behavior and interaction with the ambient environment could mitigate the rate at which an individual moves toward the point of performance disturbance
Cognitive functioning was assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Trail Making Test Part B (TMT B)
Age, duration of hypertension, years of education, the highest occupational status obtained during alifetime, aerobic capacity, % of body fat and overall mental activity rate, pulse pressure, sex, presence of diabetes, varicose veins on lower limbs, and traveling abroad in the last 3 years could be considered as factors contributing to level of cognitive functioning in older people
Summary
Aging is inevitable for all living creatures, it seems that an individual’s behavior and interaction with the ambient environment could mitigate the rate at which an individual moves toward the point of performance disturbance. One can suppose that higher levels of education could promote cognitive reserve by indirect pathways such as increased awareness or/and funds for personal health care, pro-health behaviors, occupation attainment, more funds on physical, mental and social activities which could promote individual health, what in turn would be related to less rapid cognitive decline. It seems that there is close interaction with biological factors, composing brain reserve, with cognitive reserve. Factors related to systemic diseases, body composition, aerobic capacity, past and current behavior were examined and included as predictors of cognitive function
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