Function In Old Age Research Articles

Longitudinal Associations Between Formal Volunteering and Cognitive Functioning.

The present study examines the association between formal volunteering and cognitive functioning over time. We also examine the moderating roles of race, sex, education, and time. Using 11,100 participants aged 51 years and older and nine waves of data from the Health and Retirement Survey, we simultaneously modeled the longitudinal associations between engaging in formal volunteering and changes in cognitive functioning using multilevel models. Formal volunteering was associated with higher levels of cognitive functioning over time, especially with aspects of cognitive functioning related to working memory and processing. This association was stronger for women than it was for men, and for those with below average levels of education. The positive association between formal volunteering and cognitive functioning weakened over time when cognitive functioning was conceptualized as memory, but strengthened over time when conceptualized as working memory and processing. Volunteering is a productive activity that is beneficial not just to society, but to volunteers' levels of cognitive functioning in older age. For women and those with lower levels of education, formal volunteering appears particularly beneficial to working memory and processing.

Relationship between physical activity and physical performance in later life in different birth weight groups.

There is strong evidence that physical activity (PA) has an influence on physical performance in later life. Also, a small body size at birth has been associated with lower physical functioning in older age and both small and high birth weight have shown to be associated with lower leisure time physical activity. However, it is unknown whether size at birth modulates the association between PA and physical performance in old age. We examined 695 individuals from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study born in Helsinki, Finland between 1934 and 1944. At a mean age of 70.7 years PA was objectively assessed with a multisensory activity monitor and physical performance with the Senior Fitness Test (SFT). Information on birth weight and gestational age was retrieved from hospital birth records. The study participants were divided in three birth weight groups, that is <3000 g, 3000-3499 g and ⩾3500 g. The volume of PA was significantly associated with the physical performance in all birth weight groups. However, the effect size of the association was large and significant only in men with a birth weight <3000 g (β 0.59; 95% confidence interval 0.37-0.81, P<0.001). Our study shows that the association between PA and physical performance is largest in men with low birth weight. Our results suggest that men with low birth weight might benefit most from engaging in PA in order to maintain a better physical performance.

High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level Relates to Working Memory, Immediate and Delayed Cued Recall in Brazilian Older Adults: The Role of Cognitive Reserve

Aims: The present study set out to investigate the relation of the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level to cognitive performance and its interplay with key markers of cognitive reserve in a large sample of older adults. Methods: We assessed tests of working memory, immediate and delayed cued recall in 701 older adults from Amazonas, Brazil. The HDL-C level was derived from fasting blood samples. In addition, we interviewed individuals on their education, past occupation, and cognitive leisure activity. Results: A critically low HDL-C level (<40 mg/dL) was significantly related to lower performance in working memory, immediate and delayed cued recall. Moderation analyses suggested that the relations of the HDL-C level to working memory and delayed cued recall were negligible in individuals with longer education, a higher cognitive level of the job, and greater engagement in cognitive leisure activity. Conclusion: Cognitive reserve accumulated during the life course may reduce the detrimental influences of a critically low HDL-C level on cognitive functioning in old age.

The impact of retirement on age related cognitive decline \u2013 a systematic review

BackgroundKnowledge on factors affecting the rate of cognitive decline and how to maintain cognitive functioning in old age becomes increasingly relevant. The purpose of the current study was to systematically review the evidence for the impact of retirement on cognitive functioning and on age related cognitive decline.MethodWe conducted a systematic literature review, following the principles of the PRISMA statement, of longitudinal studies on the association between retirement and cognition.ResultsOnly seven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We found weak evidence that retirement accelerates the rate of cognitive decline in crystallised abilities, but only for individuals retiring from jobs high in complexity with people. The evidence of the impact of retirement on the rate of decline in fluid cognitive abilities is conflicting.ConclusionThe review revealed a major knowledge gap in regards to the impact of retirement on cognitive decline. More knowledge on the association between retirement and age related cognitive decline as well as knowledge on the mechanisms behind these associations is needed.

Towards an Ecological Perspective on Age–Performance Relations

Abstract. The layperson’s view associates aging with biological and cognitive losses, which could be associated with decrements in work productivity and overall contributions to society. In turn, ecological approaches to life span development suggest that successful performance can result from an adaptive employment of an individual’s physical, cognitive, or social capital in the appropriate environment. This ecological framework suggests that one must understand the demands of particular ecologies (i.e., niches) to predict whether aging is associated with failure, maintenance, or even improvements in performance. We provide examples that illustrate the importance of an ecological approach to understanding adaptation to challenging decision tasks both in the laboratory and in the wild. Overall, we propose that there are specific strategies and niches that can help older adults thrive and that more work is needed to understand the exact characteristics that lead to good performance in old age.

CHILDHOOD AVAILABILITY OF BOOKS AND LATE-LIFE COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE AND DECLINE: FINDINGS FROM THE SURVEY OF HEALTH, AGEING AND RETIREMENT IN EUROPE (SHARE)

Engagement in cognitively stimulating activities across the life course has been linked with better cognitive function in old age. Evidence on the contribution of early life cognitive stimulation to late-life cognition is scarce. We aimed to examine the association between the number of books available in parental household and current cognitive performance among participants aged ≥65 years. The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) is a cross-national, longitudinal survey among non-institutionalized individuals aged 50 years and older and their spouses from 27 European countries and Israel. The current study included 8,239 individuals aged 65 years or older free of stroke, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, who underwent repeated cognitive assessments in 2011 and 2013 (immediate and delayed recall, verbal fluency and numeracy). Linear regression models were used to assess the relationship of self-reported number of books available at the participants' residence until the age of 10 years with cognitive performance and decline. Covariates included education and measures of current life-style, health and financial status. After controlling for potential confounders, large number of books was related to better performance on the immediate and delayed memory test (β=0.11±0.02; p<0.001 and β=0.13±0.02; p<0.001, respectively), as well as on the fluency (β=0.14±0.06; p<0.001) and numeracy tests (β=1.09±0.03, p=0.001). Having a large number of books in the residence at childhood was linked with less decline in immediate recall (β=0.08±0.01; p<0.001), delayed recall (β=0.09±0.02; p<0.001) and fluency performance (β=0.09±0.06; p<0.001). In addition, compared to the group who had continuously good numeracy performance, each increase in number of books category was significantly related to decreased odds of being in the continuously low (OR=0.87±0.03; p<0.001), or deteriorate numeracy ability group (OR=0.94±0.03; p<0.032). In addition, statistically significant interactions with education were found, such that the associations of availability of books with cognition were more robust among the less-educated. These findings suggest that availability of books in early-life may be an important factor in shaping cognitive aging. Additional research is warranted to examine whether this early life factor can serve as a proxy for cognitive reserve as well as a target for intervention.

EFFECTS OF A 6-MONTH AEROBIC EXERCISE PROGRAM ON COGNITIVE BRAIN FUNCTIONS AND ENZYME (APP770) IN THE BLOOD VESSELS IN OLDER ADULTS

Disproportionate growth of the elderly population has raised the profile of Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia as a major public health concern and motivated intense efforts to identify protective or preventive lifestyle factors. The attention paid to how Aerobic exercise (AE) influences cognitive performance has exploded in the past decade. AE generally refers to exercise that improves the efficiency of aerobic energy producing systems by increasing maximal oxygen uptake and cardiorespiratory endurance. However, in addition to greater preservation of cognitive function in old age and fewer incidences of dementia. This study investigated the effects of AE on cognitive brain functions and enzyme (APP770) in the blood vessel of older adults. All analyses were conducted on the data from 21 participants (12 older adults aged 85 − 90 years and 8 younger adults aged 65 − 75 years). All participants reported being free of neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease, and any medication that influence central nervous system function and had corrected-to-normal or normal vision. This study was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences at the Kansai University of Welfare Science, and participants gave their informed consent to participate in the experiment. This experiment consisted of a baseline session and carried out 6-month aerobic exercise program. 6-month aerobic exercise program was dual-task walking (3 minutes) and aerobic walking (3minuts×5). We performed the effect measurement in APP770, MPI (memory assessment) and MoCA-J. The results indicated that, MPI (memory assessment) following AE programs was a change in three months in younger adults (P<0.05). APP770 and Orientation (MoCA-J) following AE programs was a change was significantly accepted at three months in older adults (P<0.05). However, with both groups, an effect did not continue until six months either. The available evidence strongly suggested that AE has a positive influence on cognition in individuals of all age groups, particularly in older adults. We stipulated that AE influences divergent cognitive domains.

Brain functional connectivity difference in the complete network of an entire village: the role of social network size and embeddedness

Social networks are known to protect cognitive function in old age. For the first time, this study examines how social network size and social network embeddedness measured by k-core score are associated with functional connectivity in the brain using the complete social network of an entire village. According to the results, social network size has both positive and negative associations with functional connectivity; showing no meaningful pattern relative to distance among brain regions. However, older adults deeply embedded in the complete network tend to maintain functional connectivity between long-distance regions even after controlling for other covariates such as age, gender, education, and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Network Based Statistics (NBS) also revealed strong and consistent evidence that social network embeddedness has component-level associations with functional connectivity among brain regions, especially between inferior prefrontal and occipital/parietal lobes.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MIGRATION AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA

The objective of this study was to assess the association between migration status (urban, rural, urban-to-urban, rural-to-urban, rural-to-rural, and urban-to-rural) and cognitive function among older adults. We used data from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) that included adults aged 50 and older from China (N=12937). Global cognitive function was measured by Digit Span Tests, Verbal Fluency, Immediate, and Delayed Recall Tests. Controlling for socioeconomic status and health conditions, significant differences in cognitive function were found across the six migration groups, with urban-to-urban residents having the highest level of cognitive function, followed by urban residents. Rural-to-rural residents had the poorest global cognitive function. The results suggest that early-life migration is independently associated with cognitive function in older age in China.

Frequent Sexual Activity Predicts Specific Cognitive Abilities in Older Adults.

ObjectivesThis study replicates and extends the findings of previous research (Wright, H., & Jenks, R. A. (2016). Sex on the brain! Associations between sexual activity and cognitive function in older age. Age and Ageing, 45, 313–317. doi:10.1093/ageing/afv197) which found a significant association between sexual activity (SA) and cognitive function in older adults. Specifically, this study aimed to generalize these findings to a range of cognitive domains, and to assess whether increasing SA frequency is associated with increasing scores on a variety of cognitive tasks.MethodsSeventy-three participants aged 50–83 years took part in the study (38.4% male, 61.6% female). Participants completed the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III) cognitive assessment and a questionnaire on SA frequency (never, monthly, or weekly), and general health and lifestyle.ResultsWeekly SA was a significant predictor of total ACE-III, fluency, and visuospatial scores in regression models, including age, gender, education, and cardiovascular health.DiscussionGreater frequency of SA was associated with better overall ACE-III scores and scores on subtests of verbal fluency and visuospatial ability. Both of these tasks involve working memory and executive function, and links between sexual behavior, memory, and dopamine are discussed. The findings have implications for the maintenance of intimate relationships in later life.

Age-related changes in hand dominance and functional asymmetry in older adults.

The aim of the study was to investigate fine motor performance and ascertain age-related changes in laterality between the dominant and non-dominant hand. A representative sample of 635 adults (144 males and 491 females) aged 50 years and over completed a test battery MLS (Motor Performance Series) to assess a broad range of hand functions. Functional asymmetry was observed in all four motor tests (postural tremor, aiming, tapping, and inserting long pins). Significant differences between the dominant and non-dominant hand were obtained in both sexes across all age groups, except in the oldest female group (age >70) for the aiming (number of hits and errors) and postural tremor (number of errors) tasks. These differences in age-related changes may be attributed to hemispheric asymmetry, environmental factors, or use-dependent plasticity. Conflicting evidence in the literature warrants additional research to better explain age-related alterations of hand dominance and manual performance in old age.

Could High Mental Demands at Work Offset the Adverse Association Between Social Isolation and Cognitive Functioning? Results of the Population-Based LIFE-Adult-Study

The study investigated whether high mental demands at work, which have shown to promote a good cognitive functioning in old age, could offset the adverse association between social isolation and cognitive functioning. Based on data from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study, the association between cognitive functioning (Verbal Fluency Test, Trail Making Test B) and social isolation (Lubben Social Network Scale) as well as mental demands at work (O*NET database) was analyzed via linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, education, and sampling weights. Cognitive functioning was significantly lower in socially isolated individuals and in individuals working in low mental demands jobs-even in old age after retirement and even after taking into account the educational level. An interaction effect suggested stronger effects of mental demands at work in socially isolated than nonisolated individuals. The findings suggest that working in high mental-demand jobs could offset the adverse association between social isolation and cognitive functioning. Further research should evaluate how interventions that target social isolation and enhance mentally demanding activities promote a good cognitive functioning in old age.

The Relation of Hypertension to Performance in Immediate and Delayed Cued Recall and Working Memory in Old Age: The Role of Cognitive Reserve.

We investigated the relation of hypertension to cognitive performance and its interplay with key markers of cognitive reserve in a large sample of older adults. We assessed tests of immediate and delayed cued recall and working memory in 701 older adults. We measured systolic blood pressure and interviewed individuals on their education, past occupation, and cognitive leisure activity. Hypertension (≥140 mmHg) was related to lower performance in all three cognitive measures. Moderation analyses suggested that these relations were reduced in individuals with greater engaging in cognitive leisure activity. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that hypertension was not related to any of the three investigated cognitive performance measures when education, cognitive level of job, and cognitive leisure activity were simultaneously taken into account. The detrimental influences of hypertension on cognitive functioning in old age may be reduced in individuals with greater cognitive reserve accumulated during the life course.

Lifespan Physical Activity Profile, Cognitive Function And Brain Metabolism In Old Age

PURPOSE: Physical activity during adulthood is discussed as a major preventive factor against loss of cognitive function in old age. The present study aims at analyzing the effects of lifetime physical activity (PA) on cognitive function and brain metabolism. METHODS: Data were obtained from 50 cognitively unimpaired elderly subjects (72±5yrs, 27♀). Lifetime leisure PA was assessed by a validated questionnaire investigating five epochs across the lifespan (age in years: 14-21, 22-34, 35-50, 51-65, 66-80). Data were analyzed as average energy consumption (MET-h/wk) per epoch. Participants individual lifespan activity profile was defined as the behavior they engaged in for at least 60% of their lifetime (≥3 epochs). Referring to current activity guidelines (7.5 MET-h/wk ≈ 75’ vigorous or 150’ moderate PA-min/wk) and based on the individual activity profiles, subjects were stratified in 3 groups of lifetime activity behavior (MET-h/wk: <7.5/7.5-15/>15). Cognitive assessment included testing of executive function (stroop interference test), verbal and non-verbal declarative memory and crystallized intelligence (MWT-B). Brain metabolism was recorded from a transversal slice just above the corpus callosum via magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), and analyzed as the ratio of N-Acetylaspartate to choline (NAA/tCho). RESULTS: Compared to individuals reporting less than the recommended minimum of 7.5 MET-h/wk (460ms), ANCOVA revealed significantly (p<.05) higher NAA/Cho values and shorter mean response times for stroop word test among those performing the recommended minimum (-50ms) and those performing ≥2 times the minimum (-60ms). Stroop interference scores were solely higher in participants performing ≥2 times the minimum recommendation. Correlation analysis showed significant associations of overall and vigorous mean lifetime PA with stroop performance (r=.408; r=.410; p<.05) and NAA/Cho (r=.303; r=.310; p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that lifelong adherence to the minimum recommended amount of health enhancing PA results in positive effects on executive function and neuronal metabolism in old age. Exceeding minimum guideline recommendations in terms of intensity and duration might lead to additional benefits.

Low-Dose Aspirin Use and Cognitive Function in Older Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

To investigate whether low-dose aspirin (<300 mg/d) can influence the onset of cognitive impairment or dementia in observational studies and improve cognitive test scores in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in participants without dementia. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Observational and interventional studies. Individuals with no dementia or cognitive impairment initially. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for the maximum number of covariates from each study, were used to summarize data on the incidence of dementia and cognitive impairment in observational studies. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were used for cognitive test scores in RCTs. Of 2,341 potentially eligible articles, eight studies were included and provided data for 36,196 participants without dementia or cognitive impairment at baseline (mean age 66, 63% female). After adjusting for a median of three potential confounders over a median follow-up period of 6 years, chronic use of low-dose aspirin was not associated with onset of dementia or cognitive impairment (5 studies, N = 26,159; OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.55-1.22, P = .33, I2 = 67%). In three RCTs (N = 10,037; median follow-up 5 years), the use of low-dose aspirin was not associated with significantly better global cognition (SMD=0.005, 95% CI=-0.04-0.05, P = .84, I2 = 0%) in individuals without dementia. Adherence was lower in participants taking aspirin than in controls, and the incidence of adverse events was higher. This review found no evidence that low-dose aspirin buffers against cognitive decline or dementia or improves cognitive test scores in RCTs.

Meditation and Cognitive Ageing: the Role of Mindfulness Meditation in Building Cognitive Reserve

Mindfulness-related meditation practices engage various cognitive skills including the ability to focus and sustain attention, which in itself requires several interacting attentional subfunctions. There is increasing behavioural and neuroscientific evidence that mindfulness meditation improves these functions and associated neural processes. More so than other cognitive training programmes, the effects of meditation appear to generalise to other cognitive tasks, thus demonstrating far transfer effects. As these attentional functions have been linked to age-related cognitive decline, there is growing interest in the question whether meditation can slowdown or even prevent such decline. The cognitive reserve hypothesis builds on evidence that various lifestyle factors can lead to better cognitive performance in older age than would be predicted by the existing degree of brain pathology. We argue that mindfulness meditation, as a combination of brain network and brain state training, may increase cognitive reserve capacity and may mitigate age-related declines in cognitive functions. We consider available direct and indirect evidence from the perspective of cognitive reserve theory. The limited available evidence suggests that MM may enhance cognitive reserve capacity directly through the repeated activation of attentional functions and of the multiple demand system and indirectly through the improvement of physiological mechanisms associated with stress and immune function. The article concludes with outlining research strategies for addressing underlying empirical questions in more substantial ways.

Vitamin D is not associated with incident dementia or cognitive impairment: an 18-y follow-up study in community-living old men1–3

Background: Vitamin D has been implicated as being important for maintaining cognitive function in old age. Results from longitudinal studies examining the association of vitamin D with incident dementia and cognitive impairment have been inconsistent.Objective: We investigated the relation between vitamin D, assessed in 3 different ways, and the risk of dementia.Design: We measured plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with the use of high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, assessed dietary vitamin D intake with the use of 7-d dietary records, and created a vitamin D–synthesis genetic risk score (GRS) at baseline (1991–1995) in a cohort of 1182 Swedish men (mean age: 71 y). In a maximum of 18 y (median: 12 y) of follow-up, 116 men developed Alzheimer disease, 64 men developed vascular dementia, and 250 men developed all-cause dementia. An additional 80 men declined in cognitive function as assessed with the use of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Adjusted HRs and ORs were calculated with the use of Cox and logistic regressions.Results: The mean ± SD plasma 25(OH)D concentration was 68.7 ± 19.1 nmol/L. Plasma 25(OH)D, dietary vitamin D intake, and vitamin D–synthesis GRS were not associated with any cognitive outcomes (crude and adjusted HRs and ORs were ~1.0 for all continuous exposures). The adjusted HR for all-cause dementia was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.59, 1.31) in men with plasma 25(OH)D concentrations ≤50 compared with >75 nmol/L. The adjusted HR for all-cause dementia was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.63, 1.32) for the lowest compared with highest tertiles of vitamin D intake. The adjusted HR for the continuous GRS for all-cause dementia was 1.04 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.19).Conclusion: In this cohort study, we show that there is no association between baseline vitamin D status and long-term risk of dementia or cognitive impairment over an 18-y period of time.

Abstract P010: Obesity Status in Younger Age, 39-year Weight Change and Physical Performance in Older Age: the Chicago Healthy Aging Study (CHAS)

Background: Obesity is associated with serious medical complications and impaired quality of life. In older adults, obesity can aggravate the age-related decline in physical performance and lead to other forms of disability. However, the association of obesity status and weight change over decades with physical performance in older age has not been well studied. Methods: In 1,325 men and women who were initially examined in 1967-73 and re-examined in 2007-10 in the CHAS study, we stratified by baseline BMI and categorized weight change over 39 years (categories in table footnote). At follow-up (FU) when participants were ages 65+, muscle strength (hand grip) and performance [4m gait speed and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)] were measured. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine the association of baseline obesity status and weight change categories with categorized low strength and performance measures adjusted for baseline (BL) CVD risk status, FU age, sex, race, education, ankle-brachial index, SBP, total cholesterol, smoking status, diabetes, and cholesterol and BP medication use. Results: The mean age at baseline was 33 and at FU was 71, 28% were women and 9% were black. At follow-up, 10.3 % had SPPB score ≤ 8, 8.4 % had gait speed on 4 meter course &lt; 0.8 m/s, and 23.8 % had low sex-specific handgrip strength (&lt;18kg for women, &lt;30kg for men). As compared with those who were normal weight at baseline with minimal weight change (-10lbs to 20lbs), participants who were overweight initially and gained the most weight (&gt; 20lbs) were more likely to have a low SPPB score, gait speed &lt;0.8 m/s, or sex-specific handgrip strength (ORs: 4.55, 4.58, and 1.86, respectively). Weight loss &gt; 10 lbs is associated with SPPB score, and can be seen among those with BL BMI &lt;25 kg/m 2 but not among those with BL BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 . Conclusion: Obesity and overweight in younger age and significant weight gain over time are each associated with poor physical performance in older age.

Activating Developmental Reserve Capacity Via Cognitive Training or Non-invasive Brain Stimulation: Potentials for Promoting Fronto-Parietal and Hippocampal-Striatal Network Functions in Old Age.

Existing neurocomputational and empirical data link deficient neuromodulation of the fronto-parietal and hippocampal-striatal circuitries with aging-related increase in processing noise and declines in various cognitive functions. Specifically, the theory of aging neuronal gain control postulates that aging-related suboptimal neuromodulation may attenuate neuronal gain control, which yields computational consequences on reducing the signal-to-noise-ratio of synaptic signal transmission and hampering information processing within and between cortical networks. Intervention methods such as cognitive training and non-invasive brain stimulation, e.g., transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have been considered as means to buffer cognitive functions or delay cognitive decline in old age. However, to date the reported effect sizes of immediate training gains and maintenance effects of a variety of cognitive trainings are small to moderate at best; moreover, training-related transfer effects to non-trained but closely related (i.e., near-transfer) or other (i.e., far-transfer) cognitive functions are inconsistent or lacking. Similarly, although applying different tDCS protocols to reduce aging-related cognitive impairments by inducing temporary changes in cortical excitability seem somewhat promising, evidence of effects on short- and long-term plasticity is still equivocal. In this article, we will review and critically discuss existing findings of cognitive training- and stimulation-related behavioral and neural plasticity effects in the context of cognitive aging, focusing specifically on working memory and episodic memory functions, which are subserved by the fronto-parietal and hippocampal-striatal networks, respectively. Furthermore, in line with the theory of aging neuronal gain control we will highlight that developing age-specific brain stimulation protocols and the concurrent applications of tDCS during cognitive training may potentially facilitate short- and long-term cognitive and brain plasticity in old age.

Relationship Between Midlife Cardiovascular Health and Late-Life Physical Performance: The ARIC Study.

To examine the association between midlife cardiovascular health and physical performance 25years later. Cohort study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study); multinomial logistic and logistic regression adjusted for demographic characteristics and clinical measures. Four U.S. communities: Forsyth County, North Carolina; Washington County, Maryland; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Jackson, Mississippi. Individuals aged 54.2±5.8 at baseline (N=15,744; 55% female, 27% black). Cardiovascular health was measured at baseline using the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) score (0-14) and LS7 component categories (poor, intermediate, ideal) for each risk factor. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to quantify physical function as ordinal (0-12) and categorical (low (0-6), fair (7-9), good (10-12) outcomes. Mean baseline LS7 score was 7.9±2.4; 6,144 (39%) individuals returned 25years later for the fifth ARIC examination, at which point the SPPB was administered. Of 5,916 individuals who completed the SPPB, 3,288 (50%) had good physical performance. Each 1-unit increase in LS7 score was associated with a 17% higher SPPB score (rate ratio (RR)=1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.15-1.19) and a 29% greater chance of having a late-life SPPB score of 10 or greater compared to SPPB score of less than 10 (RR=1.29, 95% CI=1.25-1.34). Ideal baseline glucose (RR=2.53, 95% CI=2.24-2.87), smoking (RR=1.97, 95% CI=1.81-2.15), blood pressure (RR=1.70, 95% CI=1.54-1.88), body mass index (RR=1.51, 95% CI=1.37-1.66), and physical activity (RR=1.31, 95% CI=1.20-1.43) had the strongest associations with late-life SPPB score, adjusting for other LS7 components. Better cardiovascular health during midlife may lead better physical functioning in older age.