Abstract
Background: Recent findings indicate that leisure activity (LA) delays cognitive decline and reduces the risk of dementia. However, the association between LA and brain volume remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between LA variety and brain volume with a focus on the hippocampus and gray matter.Methods: Data were obtained from the baseline survey of the Neuron to Environmental Impact across Generations study, which had targeted community-dwelling older adults living in Niigata, Japan. We divided LAs into 10 categories, and counted the number of categories of activities in which the participants engaged. We classified them as follows: 0 (i.e., no activity), 1, 2, or ≥ 3 types. Brain volume was assessed through magnetic resonance imaging, and hippocampal and gray matter volumes were ascertained.Results: The sample size was 482. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that hippocampal and gray matter volumes were significantly greater among participants with ≥ 3 types of LAs than among their no-activity counterparts. Hippocampal volume was significantly greater among those who engaged in one type of LA than among those who engaged in no such activity. Sex-stratified analysis revealed that hippocampal volumes were significantly greater among males who engaged in ≥ 3 types of LAs and one type of LA. However, no such association was found among females.Conclusion: The present findings suggest that engaging in a wide range of LAs is related to hippocampal and gray matter volumes. Furthermore, there was a sex difference in the association between LA variety and brain volume.
Highlights
Non-pharmacological approaches are expected to delay cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia
Several studies have shown that larger hippocampal and gray matter volumes are associated with higher cognitive function and a lower risk of dementia (MacLullich et al, 2002; Fotenos et al, 2005; Brickman et al, 2007; Taki et al, 2011; Teipel et al, 2013; Vaughan et al, 2014; Hilal et al, 2015)
The results showed that hippocampal and gray matter volumes were significantly greater among those who engaged in ≥ 3 types of Leisure activity (LA) than those who engaged in no such activity
Summary
Non-pharmacological approaches are expected to delay cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia. The underlying mechanism is considered to be related to the accumulation of cognitive reserves (Stern, 2002, 2009, 2012). There is another concept called brain reserve, which explains why individuals differ in their susceptibility to cognitive aging and the conditions associated with Alzheimer’s disease (Fratiglioni and Wang, 2007; Valenzuela, 2008; Stern, 2012). Brain volume, which is a typical index of brain reserve, is regarded as a correlate of cognitive function and the risk of dementia (Katzman et al, 1988; Fratiglioni and Wang, 2007; Valenzuela, 2008; Stern, 2012). This study aimed to examine the association between LA variety and brain volume with a focus on the hippocampus and gray matter
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