Dataset Information

Lifetime affective problems and later-life cognitive state: Over 50 years of follow-up in a British birth cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Affective problems increase the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, yet the life course dimension of this association is not clearly understood. We aimed to investigate how affective problems across the life course relate to later-life cognitive state.

Methods

Data from 1269 participants from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD, the British 1946 birth cohort) were used. Prospectively-assessed measures of affective symptoms spanning ages 13-69 and categorised into case-level thresholds. Outcomes consisted of a comprehensive measure of cognitive state (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-III)), verbal memory, and letter search speed and accuracy at age 69.

Results

Complementary life course models demonstrated that having 2 or more case-level problems across the life course was most strongly associated with poorer cognitive outcomes, before and after adjusting for sex, childhood cognition, childhood and midlife occupational position and education.

Limitations

A disproportionate loss to follow-up of those who had lower childhood cognitive scores may have led to underestimation of the strength of associations.

Discussion

Using a population-based prospective study we provide evidence that recurrent lifetime affective problems predicts poorer later-life cognitive state, and this risk can be already manifest in early old age (age 69). Our findings raise the possibility that effective management to minimise affective problems reoccurring across the life course may reduce the associated risk of cognitive impairment and decline.

SUBMITTER: James SN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6137547 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Lifetime affective problems and later-life cognitive state: Over 50 years of follow-up in a British birth cohort study.

James Sarah-Naomi SN Davis Daniel D O'Hare Celia C Sharma Nikhil N John Amber A Gaysina Darya D Hardy Rebecca R Kuh Diana D Richards Marcus M

Journal of affective disorders 20180730

<h4>Background</h4>Affective problems increase the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, yet the life course dimension of this association is not clearly understood. We aimed to investigate how affective problems across the life course relate to later-life cognitive state.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from 1269 participants from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD, the British 1946 birth cohort) were used. Prospectively-assessed measures of affective symptoms ...[more]

PMID: 30144717

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Project description:ObjectivesTo examine associations between three commonly used objective measures of physical capability assessed at age 53 and a composite score of these measures and all cause mortality; to investigate whether being unable to perform these tests is associated with mortality.DesignCohort study.SettingMRC National Survey of Health and Development in England, Scotland, and Wales.Participants1355 men and 1411 women with data on physical capability at age 53 who were linked to the National Health Service (NHS) central register for death notification.Main outcome measureAll cause mortality between ages 53 (1999) and 66 (2012).ResultsFor each of the three measures of physical capability (grip strength, chair rise speed, and standing balance time) those participants unable to perform the test and those in the lowest performing fifth were found to have higher mortality rates than those in the highest fifth. Adjustment for baseline covariates partially attenuated associations but in fully adjusted models the main associations remained. For example, the fully adjusted hazard ratio of all cause mortality for the lowest compared with the highest fifth of a composite score of physical capability was 3.68 (95% confidence interval 2.03 to 6.68). Those people who could not perform any of the tests had considerably higher rates of death compared with those people able to perform all three tests (8.40, 4.35 to 16.23). When a series of models including different combinations of the measures were compared by using likelihood ratio tests, all three measures of physical capability were found to improve model fit, and a model including all three measures produced the highest estimate of predictive ability (Harrell's C index 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.77). There was some evidence that standing balance time was more strongly associated with mortality than the other two measures.ConclusionsLower levels of physical capability at age 53 and inability to perform capability tests are associated with higher rates of mortality. Even at this relatively young age these measures identify groups of people who are less likely than others to achieve a long and healthy life.

Project description:ObjectiveTo examine whether different lifetime patterns of cigarette smoking are associated with chronic widespread pain (CWP) and chronic regional pain (CRP) at age 68.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingEngland, Scotland and Wales.ParticipantsUp to 2347 men and women from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, who have been followed up since birth in 1946 and provided sufficient information on cigarette smoking across adulthood to be classified as never smoker, predominantly non-smoker, predominantly smoker or lifelong smoker and pain assessment at age 68.Primary outcome measuresPain was self-reported at age 68, and CWP was defined according to American College of Rheumatology criteria. Participants who reported having pain for ≥3 months but who did not meet the CWP definition were classified as having CRP; those who reported pain which had lasted for <3 months were classified as 'other' pain. No pain was the reference group.ResultsFindings from multinomial logistic regression models indicated that compared with never smokers, predominantly non-smokers, predominantly smokers and lifelong smokers all had an increased risk of CWP; relative risk ratios=1.70(95% CI 1.16 to 2.49); 2.10(95% CI 1.34 to 3.28) and 1.88(95% CI 0.99 to 3.57), respectively, after adjusting for sex, own occupational class, educational level, body mass index, leisure time physical activity, alcohol intake, long-standing illness and symptoms of anxiety and depression. No association was observed between smoking history and CRP or other pain.ConclusionsThese results suggest that exposure to cigarette smoking at any stage in adulthood was associated with higher risk of CWP in later adulthood; highlighting the ongoing importance of smoking prevention programmes. It also suggests that assessment of lifetime smoking behaviour may be more useful in identifying those at greater risk of CWP in later life than assessment of current smoking status.

Dataset Information

Lifetime affective problems and later-life cognitive state: Over 50 years of follow-up in a British birth cohort study.

Background

Methods

Results

Limitations

Discussion

Publications

Lifetime affective problems and later-life cognitive state: Over 50 years of follow-up in a British birth cohort study.

Similar Datasets

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