Trajectories of cognitive decline over 10 years in a Brazilian elderly population: the Bambuí cohort study of aging

Erico Castro-Costa,Josélia O A Firmo,Michael E Dewey,Elizabeth Uchôa,Maria Fernanda Lima-Costa,Robert Stewart

doi:10.1590/s0102-311x2011001500004

Abstract

Few population-based studies have examined long term cognitive trajectory, and these studies were conducted in high income countries. We investigated the association of age, gender and education with 10-year cognitive trajectory in a well-defined population of elderly using data from the Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging, in Brazil. Cognition was measured using the Mini- Mental State Examination (MMSE). Cohort members underwent annual follow-ups. This analysis was based on 12,206 MMSE measurements from 1,461 (91%) baseline participants. We used mixed effects models to study MMSE as outcome. The key findings from this analysis are that women and people with a higher schooling level at baseline had high scores of MMSE, while older participants started off lower. Regarding cognitive decline, women, older people and those with a higher schooling level declined faster.

Highlights

Few population-based studies have examined long term cognitive trajectory, and these studies were conducted in high income countries
We investigated the association of age, gender and education with 10-year cognitive trajectory in a welldefined population of elderly using data from the Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging, in Brazil
The key findings from this analysis are that women and people with a higher schooling level at baseline had high scores of Mini- Mental State Examination (MMSE), while older participants started off lower

Summary

Introduction

Few population-based studies have examined long term cognitive trajectory, and these studies were conducted in high income countries. We investigated the association of age, gender and education with 10-year cognitive trajectory in a welldefined population of elderly using data from the Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging, in Brazil. Cognition was measured using the Mini- Mental State Examination (MMSE). This analysis was based on 12,206 MMSE measurements from 1,461 (91%) baseline participants. We used mixed effects models to study MMSE as outcome. The key findings from this analysis are that women and people with a higher schooling level at baseline had high scores of MMSE, while older participants started off lower. Women, older people and those with a higher schooling level declined faster

Methods

Results

Conclusion