Dataset Information

Age-Varying Relationships Between Physical Function and Cognition in Older Adulthood.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES:There are positive relationships between physical and cognitive function in older adulthood; however, the strength of these relationships are inconsistent across studies. Although novel statistical tools provide flexibility to explore age-related differences in relationship magnitude, such methods have not been implemented in gerontological research. This study applied such methods to examine variations in relationship magnitude between physical function and cognition in healthy older adults (N = 2,783). METHOD:Time-varying effects modeling (TVEM) is an extension of regression that models changes in relationships as a function of time-varying metrics like age. TVEM was used to examine if physical function (Turn 360, grip strength) predicted cognitive performance (memory, processing speed/attention, and reasoning) similarly across adults aged 65-90. RESULTS:All associations between Turn 360 and all cognitive domains were significant and positive; however, speed of processing had significant magnitude variation across age such that the young-old and the old-old demonstrated the strongest relationships. Associations between grip strength and all cognitive domains significantly strengthened with increased age. DISCUSSION:Results suggest that depending on the sample age, there may be inconsistencies in the relationships between physical and cognitive performance. Future research should explore these relationships longitudinally to better elucidate discrepant findings.

SUBMITTER: Sprague BN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6566327 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Age-Varying Relationships Between Physical Function and Cognition in Older Adulthood.

Sprague Briana N BN Phillips Christine B CB Ross Lesley A LA

The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 20190601 5

<h4>Objectives</h4>There are positive relationships between physical and cognitive function in older adulthood; however, the strength of these relationships are inconsistent across studies. Although novel statistical tools provide flexibility to explore age-related differences in relationship magnitude, such methods have not been implemented in gerontological research. This study applied such methods to examine variations in relationship magnitude between physical function and cognition in healt ...[more]

PMID: 29121330

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Project description:The advent of tau-targeted positron emission tomography tracers such as flortaucipir (18F-AV-1451, also known as 18F-T807) have made it possible to investigate the sequence of development of tau and amyloid-β in relationship to age, and to the development of cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. In this study, flortaucipir tau and florbetapir amyloid positron emission tomography were obtained for 217 subjects including 16 young and 58 older cognitively normal subjects, 95 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination 24-30) and 48 subjects with clinically-defined possible or probable Alzheimer's disease (Mini-Mental State Examination >10). Images were evaluated visually and quantitatively by regional and voxel-based cortical to cerebellar standard uptake value ratios. For amyloid positron emission tomography positive (Aβ+) subjects, flortaucipir neocortical standard uptake value ratio was significantly higher with more advanced clinical stage (Alzheimer's disease > mild cognitive impairment > older cognitively normal) and was significantly elevated for Aβ+ mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease subjects relative to the respective Aβ- subjects. In contrast, florbetapir Aβ- older cognitively normal subjects showed an increase in flortaucipir standard uptake value ratios in mesial temporal lobe regions (amygdala, hippocampus/choroid plexus region of interest) compared to younger cognitively normal subjects, but no increased standard uptake value ratios in neocortical regions. Analysis of covariance with planned contrasts showed no differences in regional or composite posterior neocortical flortaucipir standard uptake value ratio as a function of diagnostic group among Aβ- older cognitively normal or clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment subjects. The pattern of flortaucipir distribution among Aβ+ subjects was reminiscent of the cross-sectional distribution of tau reported in post-mortem pathology studies, in that the most commonly affected regions were the inferior and lateral temporal lobes, the same regions where the first signs of increased retention appeared in Aβ+ cognitively normal subjects. However, there was large variability in extent/density of flortaucipir tau binding among Aβ+ subjects. Although high neocortical flortaucipir retention was consistently associated with an Aβ+ florbetapir positron emission tomography scan, not all Aβ+ subjects had elevated flortaucipir standard uptake value ratios. Finally, within the Aβ+ group, increasing levels of flortaucipir tau binding were associated with increased cognitive impairment, as assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale. These results suggest development of tau beyond the mesial temporal lobe is associated with, and may be dependent on, amyloid accumulation. Further, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that cortical tau is associated with cognitive impairment.

Dataset Information

Age-Varying Relationships Between Physical Function and Cognition in Older Adulthood.

Publications

Age-Varying Relationships Between Physical Function and Cognition in Older Adulthood.

Similar Datasets

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