Abstract
PurposeThis study aims to verify that the mental-cognitive domain of the validated generic bio-functional status (BFS)/bio-functional age (BFA) assessment tool, incorporating the concept of Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA), reflects cognitive performance. In addition, the effects of chronic stress exposure on the mental-cognitive BFS/BFA should be investigated.MethodsThe study was carried out as a monocenter, cross-sectional, observational, non-interventional trial (Bern Cohort Study 2014, BeCS-14) with the participation of 147 non-pediatric, non-geriatric subjects. All participants followed a standardized battery of biopsychosocial assessments consisting of BFS/BFA, a validated cognitive performance test battery (Inventar zur Gedächtnisdiagnostik; IGD) and a validated questionnaire for the assessment of chronic stress (Trier Inventory for the assessment of Chronic Stress; TICS), respectively.ResultsMean cognitive performance was average and higher in younger or better educated individuals. The BFA of the participants was 7.8 ± 7.8 year-equivalents below their chronological age. The mental-cognitive BFS/BFA assessment correlated well with the validated questionnaire for cognition assessment, the IGD. Further, three TICS subdomains (work overload (r = − 0.246, p = 0.003), work discontent (r = − 0.299, p = 0.006) and pressure to succeed (r = − 0.274, p < 0.001)), reflecting mainly work-related stress, showed a significant negative correlation with the mental-cognitive BFS/BFA.ConclusionsOur study shows that the BFS/BFA assessment tool follows European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-AHA) requirements. Further, we could demonstrate that higher levels of chronic work-related stress may be associated with poorer mental-cognitive performance and a pro-aging state indicating that cognitive impairments can be reduced by stress management interventions.
Highlights
The European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), launched by the European Commission in 2012, addresses the challenge of demographic change in Europe aiming at better prospects for the aging population in terms of quality of life, overall health and wellbeing [1, 2]
Based on two cross-sectional studies, the Leipzig Cohort Study 1984 (LeCS-84) [4] and the Bern Cohort Study 2014 (BeCS-14) [5], we have developed our complex generic AHA assessment tool
We found the bio-functional status (BFS)/bio-functional age (BFA) assessment tool to reflect chronic stress exposure with higher chronic stress exposure being associated with bio-functional pro-aging in both sexes [7]
Summary
The European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), launched by the European Commission in 2012, addresses the challenge of demographic change in Europe aiming at better prospects for the aging population in terms of quality of life, overall health and wellbeing [1, 2]. Based on two cross-sectional studies, the Leipzig Cohort Study 1984 (LeCS-84) [4] and the Bern Cohort Study 2014 (BeCS-14) [5], we have developed our complex generic AHA assessment tool This validated, non-invasive tool contains physical, mental-cognitive, emotional and social domains and allows for calculating the so-called bio-functional status (BFS) and bio-functional age (BFA), respectively. We found the BFS/BFA assessment tool to reflect chronic stress exposure with higher chronic stress exposure being associated with bio-functional pro-aging in both sexes [7]
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