Cortisol and cognitive function in midlife: the role of childhood cognition and educational attainment.

Darya Gaysina,Yoav Ben-Shlomo,Michael P Gardner,Marcus Richards

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.05.018

Abstract

SummaryAdult cognition and age-related cognitive decline can be influenced by dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis with concomitant changes in cortisol levels. However, very little is known about the role of childhood cognition and educational attainment in this relationship. Using data from the British 1946 birth cohort, the present study investigated: (1) associations between cortisol levels and patterns and cognitive function in midlife; (2) direct and interactive effects of childhood cognition, educational attainment and cortisol on cognitive function in midlife. Verbal memory, letter search speed and reaction time were assessed at age 60–64 years. Salivary cortisol samples (wakening, 30 min after wakening and evening) were collected at the same age. Childhood cognitive ability was measured at ages 8, 11, and 15, and educational level was reported at age 26. Associations between cortisol, childhood cognition, educational attainment and cognitive function in midlife were tested using linear regression and structural equation modelling approaches. Higher evening cortisol level was associated with slower reaction time and lower verbal memory. These associations were independent of childhood cognition and education as well as a range of other potential confounders. Childhood cognition and education were not directly associated with evening cortisol. However, there was a significant interaction effect between childhood cognition and evening cortisol on reaction time (p = .002): higher evening cortisol was associated with slower reaction time only among those with low childhood cognitive ability. There was little evidence of associations between the other cortisol measures and cognitive function.

Highlights

Adult cognition and age-related cognitive decline can be influenced by dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA-axis), which produces cortisol
Very little is known about the role of childhood cognition and educational attainment in this relationship
Descriptive statistics for adult cognitive function, cortisol measures, childhood cognition, and educational attainment are presented in Table 1, for males and females separately

Summary

Methods

The NSHD ( known as the British 1946 birth cohort) is a socially stratified birth cohort, originally consisting of 2547 women and 2815 men, who have been followed up since their birth in 1946 with regular data collections, most recently at age 60—64 ( 60+) years (Kuh et al, 2011). At this data collection, contact was sought with 3163 study members still alive and living in Great Britain with a known address.

Results

Discussion

Conclusion