Reserve In Older Adults Research Articles

Maximal aerobic capacity is associated with hippocampal cognitive reserve in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Maximal aerobic capacity (MAC) has been associated with preserved neural tissue or brain maintenance (BM) in healthy older adults, including the hippocampus. Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is considered a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease. While aMCI is characterized by hippocampal deterioration, the MAC-hippocampal relationship in these patients is not well understood. In contrast to healthy individuals, neurocognitive protective effects in neurodegenerative populations have been associated with mechanisms of cognitive reserve (CR) altering the neuropathology-cognition relationship. We investigated the MAC-hippocampal relationship in aMCI (n = 29) from the perspectives of BM and CR mechanistic models with structural MRI and a memory fMRI paradigm using both group-level (higher-fit patients vs. lower-fit patients) and individual level (continuous correlation) approaches. While MAC was associated with smaller hippocampal volume, contradicting the BM model, higher-fit patients demonstrated statistically significant lower correlation between hippocampal volume and memory performance compared with the lower-fit patients, supporting the model of CR. In addition, while there was no difference in brain activity between the groups during low cognitive demand (encoding of familiar stimuli), higher MAC level was associated with increased cortical and sub-cortical activation during increased cognitive demand (encoding of novel stimuli) and also with bilateral hippocampal activity even when controlling for hippocampal volume, suggesting for an independent effect of MAC. Our results suggest that MAC may be associated with hippocampal-related cognitive reserve in aMCI through altering the relationship between hippocampal-related structural deterioration and cognitive function. In addition, MAC was found to be associated with increased capacity to recruit neural resources during increased cognitive demands.

Exploring uptake of a university‐level educational intervention to prevent cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project

AbstractBackgroundResearch suggests a substantial proportion of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cases could be delayed, or even prevented, through modifying lifestyle factors. Low educational attainment has been associated with increased vulnerability to age‐related cognitive decline through reduced cognitive reserve. Strategies to enhance cognitive reserve in older adults may therefore provide cognitive resilience and reduce an individual’s AD risk. The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project (THBP) is a longitudinal, prospective cohort study established to examine this possibility by following the cognitive health trajectory of older Australians engaging in university‐level education. To characterise predictors of uptake and inform recruitment for future educational interventions, we present an exploratory examination of university‐level education uptake in older Australian adults.MethodUpon entry to the ongoing THBP, participants opted (non‐random assignment) to enrol in fee reduced university‐level education at the University of Tasmania. All participants undergo biennial assessments involving a comprehensive battery assessing neuropsychological, cognitive, psychological, social and clinical domains. For the current study, membership of experimental (intervention) group vs controls (non‐intervention) was treated as a binary outcome utilising logistic binomial regression. Baseline age, education, gender, prior cognitive reserve (PCR), APOE, Dementia Rating Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were included in linear and generalized additive models. Bayes Factors (computed using bridge sampling) were estimated to provide support for main effects models. All statistical analyses were performed in R (v3.6.1).ResultOf 562 THBP participants, 437 (22.2%) elected to undertake university‐level education and 125 (77.8%) controls did not. On average, the interventional group was younger, more educated, displayed higher prior cognitive reserve and lower penetrance for APOE‐ε4 allele (Table 1). Logistic binomial regression suggested that of the variables assessed, age was the primary predictor of educational uptake (Figure 1).ConclusionIn our models, a participant’s baseline age was the only variable to display an association with interventional group adherence to a university‐level education. In the current research climate where encouraging lifestyle risk factor modifications to reduce dementia risk, educational interventions may enhance cognitive resilience to age‐related cognitive decline, therefore recruitment efforts should be designed to target a wider age range in more demographically diverse populations.

Components of an indirect cognitive reserve: a longitudinal assessment of community-dwelling older adults

ABSTRACT Cognitive reserve enables individuals to preserve their cognition, despite a possible underlying brain pathology. The objective was to verify which components contribute to an indirect measurement of cognitive reserve in older adults, assessed longitudinally within a four-year interval. The sample was comprised of 64 older adults from the community. The following instruments were used: sociodemographic form; Mini-Mental State Examination; subtests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition; Trail Making Test; Verbal Fluency Test (animal category); Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test; Beck Anxiety Inventory; and the Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item version. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed for the data analysis. The sample was predominantly composed of women (81.3%) and the mean age of the sample was 73.19 years (SD = 6.12). With respect to the variables related to cognitive reserve, it was found that anxiety was the predictor variable of more cognitive components: It was found that poorer cognitive performance is associated with anxiety, and this variable is negatively related to cognitive reserve, as well as to the age variable. Engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, education level and living with someone were deemed to be factors that help build cognitive reserve in older adults. Keywords: cognitive reserve; older adults; longitudinal.

Education amplifies brain atrophy effect on cognitive decline: implications for cognitive reserve.

Level of education is often regarded as a proxy for cognitive reserve in older adults. This implies that brain degeneration has a smaller effect on cognitive decline in those with more education, but this has not been directly tested in previous research. We examined how education, quantitative magnetic resonance imaging-based measurement of brain degeneration, and their interaction affect cognitive decline in diverse older adults spanning the spectrum from normal cognition to dementia. Gray matter atrophy was strongly related to cognitive decline. While education was not related to cognitive decline, brain atrophy had a stronger effect on cognitive decline in those with more education. Importantly, high education was associated with slower decline in individuals with lesser atrophy but with faster decline in those with greater atrophy. This moderation effect was observed in Hispanics (who had high heterogeneity of education) but not in African-Americans or Caucasians. These results suggest that education is an indicator of cognitive reserve in individuals with low levels of brain degeneration, but the protective effect of higher education is rapidly depleted as brain degeneration progresses.

Cognitive Consequences of Trilingualism.

The objectives of the present research were to examine the cognitive consequences of trilingualism and explain them relative to the cognitive consequences of bilingualism. A comparison of cognitive abilities in trilinguals and bilinguals was conducted. In addition, we proposed a cognitive plasticity framework to account for cognitive differences and similarities between trilinguals and bilinguals. Three aspects of cognition were analyzed: (1) cognitive reserve in older adults, as measured by age of onset of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment; (2) inhibitory control in children and younger adults, as measured by response times on behavioral Simon and flanker tasks; and (3) memory generalization in infants and toddlers, as measured by accuracy on behavioral deferred imitation tasks. Results were considered within a framework of cognitive plasticity, which took into account several factors that may affect plasticity, including the age of learning a third language and the extent to which additional cognitive resources are needed to learn the third language. A mixed pattern of results was observed. In some cases, such as cognitive reserve in older adults, trilinguals showed larger advantages than bilinguals. On other measures, for example inhibitory control in children and younger adults, trilinguals were found to exhibit the same advantages as bilinguals. In still other cases, like memory generalization in infants and toddlers, trilinguals did not demonstrate the advantages seen in bilinguals. This study is the first comprehensive analysis of how learning a third language affects the cognitive abilities that are modified by bilingual experience, and the first to propose a cognitive plasticity framework that can explain and predict trilingual-bilingual differences. This research shows that the cognitive consequences of trilingualism are not simply an extension of bilingualism's effects; rather, trilingualism has distinct consequences, with theoretical implications for our understanding of linguistic and cognitive processes and their plasticity, as well as applied-science implications for using second and third language learning in educational and rehabilitative contexts to foster successful cognitive development and aging.

Social cognition is not associated with cognitive reserve in older adults

Social and general cognitive abilities decline in late life. Those with high cognitive reserve display better general cognitive performance in old age; however, it is unknown whether this is also the case for social cognition. A total of 115 healthy older adults, aged 60–85 years (m = 44, f = 71) were assessed using The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT-R; social cognition), the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire (LEQ; cognitive reserve), and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI-II; general cognitive ability). The LEQ did not predict performance on any TASIT-R subtest: Emotion Evaluation Test (β = -.097, p = .325), Social Inference – Minimal (β = -.004, p = .972), or Social Inference – Enriched (β = -.016, p = .878). Sensitivity analyses using two alternative cognitive reserve measures, years of education and the National Adult Reading Test, supported these effects. Cognitive reserve was strongly related to WASI-II performance. Unlike general cognitive ability, social cognition appears unaffected by cognitive reserve. Findings contribute to the emerging understanding that cognitive reserve differentially affects individual cognitive domains, which has implications for the theoretical understanding of cognitive reserve and its brain correlates. Cognitive measures unbiased by cognitive reserve may serve as best indicators of brain health, free of compensatory mechanisms.

Social Cognition Is Not Associated With Cognitive Reserve In Older Adults

Event Abstract Back to Event Social Cognition Is Not Associated With Cognitive Reserve In Older Adults Louise Lavrencic1*, Lisa Kurylowicz1, Mark Kohler1, Owen Churches2 and Hannah Keage1 1 University of South Australia, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Australia 2 Flinders University, Brain and Cognition Laboratory, Australia Social cognition is imperative in everyday functioning and impacts communication, relatedness, and quality of life. Certain domains of social cognition, such as emotion evaluation and Theory of Mind, have been shown to decline as people age. Social cognition difficulties have also been linked with declines in general cognitive ability, for which cognitive reserve may act as a buffer. Cognitive reserve refers to the ability of some individuals to maintain cognitive functioning and cognitively cope with brain damage and pathology. People with higher levels of cognitive reserve have been found to display better performance in various cognitive domains. Investigating links between social cognition and cognitive reserve could help elucidate neural mechanisms of cognitive reserve and aid development of behavioural tests to track brain health in late adulthood. 97 cognitively-intact older adults aged 60 to 85 years were administered tests to assess whether social cognition, measured by The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT; with an Emotion Evaluation subtest and two Social Inference subtests measuring Theory of Mind), was associated with age, sex, and cognitive reserve (as indexed by the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire). The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence was used to control for general cognitive ability. In line with previous studies, age was negatively correlated with all TASIT subtests. Females performed better than males on Emotion Evaluation, which is consistent with previous literature, and only one Social Inference subtest, indicating that a female advantage may not extend to all aspects of social cognition. No association was found between any TASIT subtest and cognitive reserve. This suggests that social cognition may be a cognitive reserve free measure of ability and is perhaps more directly associated with age-related declines in neural functioning, regardless of general cognitive performance. Keywords: Cognitive Reserve, Theory of Mind, older adults, general cognitive ability, emotion evaluation Conference: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 27 Jul - 31 Jul, 2014. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Emotional and Social Processes Citation: Lavrencic L, Kurylowicz L, Kohler M, Churches O and Keage H (2015). Social Cognition Is Not Associated With Cognitive Reserve In Older Adults. Conference Abstract: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2015.217.00303 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 19 Feb 2015; Published Online: 24 Apr 2015. * Correspondence: Miss. Louise Lavrencic, University of South Australia, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Adelaide, Australia, louise.lavrencic@mymail.unisa.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Louise Lavrencic Lisa Kurylowicz Mark Kohler Owen Churches Hannah Keage Google Louise Lavrencic Lisa Kurylowicz Mark Kohler Owen Churches Hannah Keage Google Scholar Louise Lavrencic Lisa Kurylowicz Mark Kohler Owen Churches Hannah Keage PubMed Louise Lavrencic Lisa Kurylowicz Mark Kohler Owen Churches Hannah Keage Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Quantifying cognitive reserve in older adults by decomposing episodic memory variance: replication and extension.

The theory of cognitive reserve attempts to explain why some individuals are more resilient to age-related brain pathology. Efforts to explore reserve have been hindered by measurement difficulties. Reed et al. (2010) proposed quantifying reserve as residual variance in episodic memory performance that remains after accounting for demographic factors and brain pathology (whole brain, hippocampal, and white matter hyperintensity volumes). This residual variance represents the discrepancy between an individual’s predicted and actual memory performance. The goals of the present study were to extend these methods to a larger, community-based sample and to investigate whether the residual reserve variable is explained by age, predicts longitudinal changes in language, and predicts dementia conversion independent of age. Results support this operational measure of reserve. The residual reserve variable was associated with higher reading ability, lower likelihood of meeting criteria for mild cognitive impairment, lower odds of dementia conversion in dependent of age, and less decline in language abilities over 3 years. Finally, the residual reserve variable moderated the negative impact of memory variance explained by brain pathology on language decline. This method has the potential to facilitate research on the mechanisms of cognitive reserve and the efficacy of interventions designed to impart reserve.

The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project (THBP): a prospective longitudinal examination of the effect of university-level education in older adults in preventing age-related cognitive decline and reducing the risk of dementia

Differences in the level of cognitive compromise between individuals following brain injury are thought to arise from underlying differences in cognitive reserve. The level of cognitive reserve attained by an individual is influenced by both genetic and life experience factors such as educational attainment and occupational history. The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project (THBP) is a world-first prospective study examining the capacity of university-level education to enhance cognitive reserve in older adults and subsequently reduce age-related cognitive decline and risk for neurodegenerative disease. Up to 1,000 adults aged 50-79 years at the time of entry into the study will be recruited to participate in the THBP. All participants will be healthy and free of significant medical, psychological, or psychiatric illness. Of the participant sample, 90% will undertake a minimum of 12 months part-time university-level study as an intervention. The remaining 10% will act as a control reference group. Participants will complete an annual comprehensive assessment of neuropsychological function, medical health, socialization, and personal well-being. Premorbid estimates of past cognitive, education, occupational, and physical function will be used to account for the mediating influence of prior life experience on outcomes. Potential contributing genetic factors will also be explored. Participant results will be assessed annually. Participants displaying evidence of dementia on the comprehensive neuropsychological assessment will be referred to an independent psycho-geriatrician for screening and diagnosis. The THBP commenced in 2011 and is expected to run for 10-20 years duration. To date, a total of 383 participants have been recruited into the THBP.

Poster 17: Cognitive Reserve in Older Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective: To examine the relationship between cognitive reserve and cognitive functioning in older adults after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Observational, cross-sectional. Setting: Research center at an urban medical hospital center. Participants: 25 subjects had mild TBI and 24 had moderate-to-severe TBI. 62 participants had no history of TBI. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Neuropsychologic battery included measures in the domains of attention, processing speed, memory, language, executive functioning, and motor ability.

Aerobic reserve and physical functional performance in older adults

older adults can be limited in their performance of daily tasks due to an inadequate aerobic capacity. Aerobic capacity below minimum physiological thresholds required to maintain independence leaves older adults with little, or no, aerobic reserve. the aim of this study was to measure functional performance and aerobic reserve in older adults during the serial performance of daily tasks. twenty-nine (n = 29) men and women (n = 23 females) 70-92 years of age participated in this study. performance based physical function was assessed using the Continuous-Scale Physical Functional Performance test (CS-PFP). A Cosmed K4b(2) portable metabolic system was used to measure VO(2PEAK) and oxygen uptake during the serial performance of a battery of daily tasks (VO(2PFP)). Aerobic reserve was calculated as the difference between VO(2PEAK) and VO(2PFP). the correlation coefficient between aerobic reserve and functional performance was r = 0.50(P = 0.006). Participants utilized 32.2 +/- 8.1%, 42.7 +/- 10.8%, and 50.3 +/- 12.3% of VO(2PEAK) for the low, moderate, and high workloads of the CS-PFP, respectively. light housework and carrying groceries require 40 to 50% of peak oxygen consumption. This information can be used by clinicians and health professionals working with older adults as a guide to how much aerobic fitness is needed to perform ADLs and maintain independence. These can then be used as guides for assessment and for setting training goals in older adults.

A Proposed Model of Neuroplasticity and Cognitive Reserve in Older Adults

The theoretical construct of cognitive reserve is used to explain why some people can sustain more brain pathology due to disease than others before cognitive and everyday functioning become impaired. Several lines of research suggest that cognition may be maintained by taking steps to prevent loss or possibly increase cognitive reserve. These steps could include promoting certain health behaviors, engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, or possibly even using cognitive training techniques. These factors may positively influence the physiological functioning of the brain or may increase the ability to compensate for declines in cognition. Empirical findings related to neuroplasticity are discussed and a hypothetical model of neuroplasticity, cognitive reserve, and cognitive functioning in older adults are presented. Implications of this model for 'real world' or everyday functioning are discussed and directions for future research on maintaining cognitive reserve are provided.

Predictors of autologous stem cell transplant related mortality in older adults

16509 Background: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is increasingly performed in older adults. Predictors of transplant related mortality (TRM) are not well established in this population. Our objective was to identify characteristics associated with TRM in older adults treated with ASCT. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify all patients ≥ 60 years of age treated with ASCT at our institution between July 1990 and July 2005. We used logistic regression to investigate the effect of baseline characteristics and of transplant complications on TRM. Results: 143 patients met eligibility criteria of whom 139 were evaluable for the 100 day mortality outcome. The median age was 64.5 (range 60–76.6) years, 34% were female. Primary diagnoses included non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (55%), multiple myeloma (29%), acute myelogenous leukemia (8%), breast cancer (5%), and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (3%). 100 day TRM was 7.9%. The mean time to engraftment (absolute neutrophil count >1000) was 12.2 ± 5.5 days. Complications included bacteremia (26.3%), cardiac events (myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure or arrhythmia) (11.5%), renal failure (7.4%), and respiratory failure (6.7%). Multivariate analysis including age, sex, diagnosis, number of comorbidities, number of medications, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, hemoglobin, and creatinine at the time of transplant did not identify any baseline predictors of 100 day TRM (p > .05 for all). Development of renal failure or respiratory failure during transplantation was associated with increased TRM with an odds ratio of 11.2 (CI 2.5, 49.2) and 13.6 (CI 3.0, 62.2) respectively. Peritransplant cardiac events or bacteremia were not associated with increased TRM. Conclusions: Development of renal failure or respiratory failure is associated with increased TRM in this study. However, age and baseline comorbidities are not predictive of TRM. Future prospective studies should incorporate specific measures of functional and cognitive status which may be more reflective of decreased physiologic reserve in older adults being considered for ASCT. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Walking performance and cardiovascular response: associations with age and morbidity--the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.

The long-distance corridor walk is a timed 400-meter walk test used to assess walking endurance in well-functioning men and women aged 70-79 in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. We examined walking time along with heart rate and blood pressure response in relationship to prevalent chronic conditions, weight, physical activity, and markers of subclinical disease. Of 3075 participants, 2324 (76%) completed the test with heart rate and blood pressure responses in the range expected for a moderate level of exertion. Slower walking time was influenced by both clinical and subclinical disease, and also was strongly related to both low and high body weight and low self-reported physical activity. Heart rate and blood pressure responses were higher with several clinical and subclinical diseases, but heart rate response and recovery were more strongly related to walking time than to disease. Higher body mass index and lower physical activity were associated with greater heart rate response and recovery. The independent contribution of both clinical and subclinical disease to walking time supports the use of walking tests as a summary measure of disease in older adults. The independent association of walking time with physical activity suggests that it is sensitive to levels of fitness as well. Together these findings show that walking performance is a valid indicator of physiologic reserve in older adults.

Geroanesthesia. Principles for Management of the Elderly Patient

Geroanesthesia. Principles for Management of the Elderly Patient