Dataset Information

Cognitive decline in the elderly: an analysis of population heterogeneity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

studies of cognitive ageing at the group level suggest that age is associated with cognitive decline; however, there may be individual differences such that not all older adults will experience cognitive decline.

Objective

to evaluate patterns of cognitive decline in a cohort of older adults initially free of dementia.

Design, setting and subjects

elderly Catholic clergy members participating in the Religious Orders Study were followed for up to 15 years. Cognitive performance was assessed annually.

Methods

performance on a composite global measure of cognition was analysed using random effects models for baseline performance and change over time. A profile mixture component was used to identify subgroups with different cognitive trajectories over the study period.

Results

from a sample of 1,049 participants (mean age 75 years), three subgroups were identified based on the distribution of baseline performance and change over time. The majority (65%) of participants belonged to a slow decline class that did not experience substantial cognitive decline over the observation period [-0.04 baseline total sample standard deviation (SD) units/year]. About 27% experienced moderate decline (-0.19 SD/year), and 8% belonged to a class experiencing rapid decline (-0.57 SD/year). A subsample analysis revealed that when substantial cognitive decline does occur, the magnitude and rate of decline is correlated with neuropathological processes.

Conclusions

in this sample, the most common pattern of cognitive decline is extremely slow, perceptible on a time scale measured by decades, not years. While in need of cross validation, these findings suggest that cognitive changes associated with ageing may be minimal and emphasise the importance of understanding the full range of age-related pathologies that may diminish brain function.

SUBMITTER: Hayden KM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3199215 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Cognitive decline in the elderly: an analysis of population heterogeneity.

Hayden Kathleen M KM Reed Bruce R BR Manly Jennifer J JJ Tommet Douglas D Pietrzak Robert H RH Chelune Gordon J GJ Yang Frances M FM Revell Andrew J AJ Bennett David A DA Jones Richard N RN

Age and ageing 20110902 6

<h4>Background</h4>studies of cognitive ageing at the group level suggest that age is associated with cognitive decline; however, there may be individual differences such that not all older adults will experience cognitive decline.<h4>Objective</h4>to evaluate patterns of cognitive decline in a cohort of older adults initially free of dementia.<h4>Design, setting and subjects</h4>elderly Catholic clergy members participating in the Religious Orders Study were followed for up to 15 years. Cogniti ...[more]

PMID: 21890481

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Project description:BackgroundCognitive decline is a major risk factor for disability and death and may serve as a precursor of dementia. Digital devices can provide a platform of cognitively stimulating activities which might help to slow cognitive decline during the process of normal aging.ObjectiveThis longitudinal study aimed to examine the independent protective factors of desktop and cellphone ownership against cognitive decline in mid-life and older adulthood and to examine the combined effect of desktop and cellphone ownership on the same outcome.MethodsData was obtained from a China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Studies (CHARLS) cohort made up of 13,457 community-dwelling adults aged 45 years or above in 2011-2012. They were followed for 4 years, with baseline measurements taken as well as 2 two-year follow-up visits. Cognitive function was tested during the baseline test and follow-up visits. A global cognition z-score was calculated based on two domains: word recall and mental intactness. The key independent variables were defined as: whether one had desktops with internet connection at home and whether one had a cellphone. An additional categorical variable of three values was constructed as: 0 (no desktop or cellphone), 1 (desktop or cellphone alone), and 2 (desktop and cellphone both). Mixed-effects regression was adjusted for demographic and health behavior as well as health condition risk factors.ResultsAdjusted for demographic and health behavior as well as health condition risk factors, desktop and cellphone ownership were independently associated with subsequent decreased cognitive decline over the four-year period. Participants without a desktop at home had an adjusted cognitive decline of -0.16 standard deviations (95% CI -0.18 to -0.15), while participants with a desktop at home had an adjusted cognitive decline of -0.10 standard deviations (95% CI -0.14 to -0.07; difference of -0.06 standard deviations; P=.003). A similar pattern of significantly protective association of 0.06 standard deviations (95% CI 0.03-0.10; P<.001) between cellphone ownership and cognitive function was observed over the four-year period. Additionally, a larger longitudinal protective association on cognitive decline was observed among those with both of the digital devices, although the 95% CIs for the coefficients overlapped with those with a single digital device alone.ConclusionsFindings from this study underscored the importance of digital devices as platforms for cognitively stimulating activities to delay cognitive decline. Future studies focusing on use of digital devices are warranted to investigate their longitudinal protective factors against cognitive decline at mid- and later life.

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Dataset Information

Cognitive decline in the elderly: an analysis of population heterogeneity.

Background

Objective

Design, setting and subjects

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Cognitive decline in the elderly: an analysis of population heterogeneity.

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