Early Educational Experiences and Trajectories of Cognitive Functioning Among US Adults in Midlife and Later.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Walsemann KM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7443204 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:ObjectivesOur understanding of how societal conditions and educational policies influence cognitive development across the life course is improving. We tested the extent to which inequality of educational opportunity (IEO), the country- and cohort-specific correlation of parents' and their offspring's length of schooling, offers systematically different opportunities to contribute to cognitive development, which in turn influences cognitive abilities up to older ages.MethodsA total of 46,972 individuals of three cohorts born 1940-63 from 16 European countries and Israel provided up to six cognitive assessments and information on covariates in the SHARE survey 2004-2017. Individual-level data were linked to indicators of IEO at time of schooling, and economic, health, and human development, provided by World Bank, WHO, and the UN.ResultsIn multilevel (mixed-effects) models with random individual and country-cohort effects and adjusted for a large set of confounders, higher IEO was associated with lower levels of cognitive functioning in men and women. Interaction analyses suggested lower cognitive levels particularly of women who were schooled in higher IEO contexts and had lower educational attainment. Associations with rate of change in cognitive functioning were present only in women, however there was little clinically relevant cognitive decline across the window of observation. Result patterns were mostly consistent after including additional contextual indicators, and in a subsample with childhood information.DiscussionFindings suggest that IEO is able to substantially influence cognitive development with long-lasting impacts. Lower-educated women of the cohorts under investigation may have been particularly vulnerable to high-inequality educational contexts.
| S-EPMC8193135 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Multiple factors constrain the trajectories of child cognitive development, but the drivers that differentiate the trajectories are unknown. We examine how multiple early life experiences differentiate patterns of cognitive development over the first 5 years of life in low-and middle-income settings. Cognitive development of 835 children from the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) multisite observational cohort study was assessed at 6, 15, 24 (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development), and 60 months (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence). Markers of socioeconomic status, infection, illness, dietary intake and status, anthropometry, and maternal factors were also assessed. Trajectories of development were determined by latent class-mixed models, and factors associated with class membership were examined by discriminant analysis. Five trajectory groups of cognitive development are described. The variables that best discriminated between trajectories included presence of stimulating and learning resources in the home, emotional or verbal responsivity of caregiver and the safety of the home environment (especially at 24 and 60 months), proportion of days (0-24 months) for which the child had diarrhea, acute lower respiratory infection, fever or vomiting, maternal reasoning ability, mean nutrient densities of zinc and phytate, and total energy from complementary foods (9-24 months). A supporting and nurturing environment was the variable most strongly differentiating the most and least preferable trajectories of cognitive development. In addition, a higher quality diet promoted cognitive development while prolonged illness was indicative of less favorable patterns of development.
| S-EPMC7461241 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAlthough being employed during midlife is positively associated with cognitive function in later life, little is known with respect to cumulative trajectories or durations of time spent in different kinds of work.MethodsWe investigated the relationships between employment trajectory from ages 31 years to 50 years and cognitive skills at ages 50-78 years among 2521 adults in the US Panel Study of Income Dynamics from 1968 to 2016. Sequence analysis was used to identify prototypical employment trajectories, capturing employment status and high versus lower job skill level at each year of age from 31 years to 50 years. Adjusted and weighted logistic regression was used to estimate relationships between employment trajectory and performance on each of four cognitive tests representing numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, health literacy and financial literacy. Dose-response relationships between the duration of high-skill employment and cognitive skills were examined.ResultsSeven prototypical employment trajectories were identified, the most common being consistently lower skill employment (44%; 1105/2521). Consistently high-skill and fluctuating skill trajectories were associated with high numerical reasoning scores (OR=1.54, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.40; OR=2.52, 95% CI 1.39 to 4.58, respectively), compared with consistently lower skill employment. There was a dose-response relationship between duration of high-skill employment and numerical reasoning (OR=1.17; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.28), plateauing after approximately 4 years of high-skill employment.ConclusionsSequence analysis of exposure trajectories is a novel method for life course epidemiology that accounts for exposure timing, duration and ordering. Our results using this method indicate that the duration may be more important than the timing of high-skill midlife employment for later-life numerical reasoning skills.
| S-EPMC6437762 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThis study describes change in autism symptoms, behavioral functioning, and health measured prospectively over 22 years. Most studies tracking developmental trajectories have focused on autism during childhood, although adulthood is the longest stage of the life course. A robust understanding of how autistic people change through midlife and into older age has yet to be obtained.MethodsUsing an accelerated longitudinal design with 9 waves of data, developmental trajectories were estimated from adolescence through midlife and into early old age in a community-based cohort (n = 406). The overall aim was to determine whether there were age-related increases or decreases, whether the change was linear or curvilinear, and whether these trajectories differed between those who have ID and those who have average or above-average intellectual functioning. Subsequently, the slopes of the trajectories were evaluated to determine if they differed depending on age when the study began, with the goal of identifying possible cohort effects.ResultsThere were significant trajectories of age-related change for all but one of the measures, although different measures manifested different patterns. Most autism symptoms improved through adulthood, while health worsened. An inverted U-shaped curve best described change for repetitive behavior symptoms, activities of daily living, maladaptive behaviors, and social interaction. For these measures, improved functioning was evident from adolescence until midlife. Then change leveled off, with worsening functioning from later midlife into early older age. Additionally, differences between autistic individuals with and without ID were evident. Although those who have ID had poorer levels of functioning, there were some indications that those without ID had accelerating challenges in their aging years that were not evident in those with ID - increases in medications for physical health problems and worsening repetitive behaviors.ConclusionsMeeting the needs of the increasingly large population of autistic adults in midlife and old age requires a nuanced understanding of life course trajectories across the long stretch of adulthood and across multiple domains. Given the heterogeneity of autism, it will be important not to generalize across sub-groups, for example those who are minimally verbal and those who have above-average intellectual functioning.
| S-EPMC10623813 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The two branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) have been individually linked to changes in cognitive functioning: The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) has been associated with healthy cognitive aging, whereas excessive sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity has been linked to heightened cognitive decline. Despite these separate findings and despite the integrative nature of the ANS, little work has examined the two branches simultaneously to better understand their interactive effects on changes in cognitive functioning in midlife adults. We examined cognitive change in two waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study cognitive project and indexed PNS and SNS activity from heart rate variability and epinephrine levels, respectively, from the MIDUS biomarker project (minimum n = 843, 57.9% female, mean age at first wave = 53.8 years). Our findings indicate that greater PNS responsivity (i.e., greater withdrawal and greater recovery) in response to cognitive challenge is associated with attenuated cognitive decline, but only among individuals with low SNS levels; at higher SNS levels, the effects of the PNS on cognitive decline are attenuated. These results suggest that future research targeting the ANS and cognitive aging should consider both ANS branch's effects simultaneously.
| S-EPMC7722158 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesFamily structure in childhood influences early brain development and cognitive performance in adulthood. Much less is known about its long-term impact on later-life cognitive functioning. We extend the two-generation family structure approach to investigate the potential contribution of living with grandparents in multigenerational households to differences in cognitive functioning at older ages.MethodsData were drawn from 9 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2014) merged with newly collected childhood family history data. Five types of family structure were assessed: two-parent households, two-parent households with grandparents, single-parent households, single-parent households with grandparents, and grandparent-headed households. Growth curve models were used to estimate trajectories of cognitive functioning over time.ResultsChildhood family structure was significantly associated with level of cognitive functioning, but not to rate of cognitive decline. Relative to those from two-parent households, individuals who grew up in multigenerational households showed higher levels of cognitive functioning, including those living with a single parent and grandparents. Those who lived with a single parent alone were the most disadvantaged. The effects of these multigenerational households persisted net of childhood and adulthood socioeconomic status and health outcomes.DiscussionGrandparent coresidence may cultivate a socially enriched home environment, providing resources and protection for early cognitive development that could persist throughout life. Multigenerational living arrangements are likely to increase as the contemporary population ages. More research needs to be done to understand the impact of these living arrangements on future generations' brain health and cognitive aging.
| S-EPMC8200351 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceThe association of dietary patterns, or the combinations of different foods that people eat, with cognitive change and dementia is unclear.ObjectiveTo examine the association of dietary patterns in midlife with cognitive function in later life in a US population without dementia.Design, setting, and participantsObservational cohort study with analysis of data collected from 1987 to 2017. Analysis was completed in January to February 2019. Community-dwelling black and white men and women from Washington County, Maryland; Forsyth County, North Carolina; Jackson, Mississippi; and suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota, participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study were included.ExposuresTwo dietary pattern scores were derived from a 66-item food frequency questionnaire using principal component analysis. A Western, or unhealthy, dietary pattern was characterized by higher consumption of meats and fried foods. A so-called prudent, or healthier, dietary pattern was characterized by higher amounts of fruits and vegetables.Main outcomes and measuresResults of 3 cognitive tests (Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Word Fluency Test, and Delayed Word Recall) performed at 3 points (1990-1992, 1996-1998, and 2011-2013) were standardized and combined to represent global cognitive function. The 20-year change in cognitive function was determined by tertile of diet pattern score using mixed-effect models. The risk of incident dementia was also determined by tertile of the diet pattern score.ResultsA total of 13 588 participants (7588 [55.8%] women) with a mean (SD) age of 54.6 (5.7) years at baseline were included; participants in the top third of Western and prudent diet pattern scores were considered adherent to the respective diet. Cognitive scores at baseline were lower in participants with a Western diet (z score for tertile 3 [T3], -0.17 [95% CI, -0.20 to -0.14] vs T1, 0.17 [95% CI, 0.14-0.20]) and higher in participants with a prudent diet (z score for T3, -0.09 [95% CI, -0.12 to -0.06] vs T1, -0.09 [95% -0.12 to -0.06]). Estimated 20-year change in global cognitive function did not differ by dietary pattern (difference of change in z score for Western diet, T3 vs T1: -0.01 [95% CI, -0.05 to 0.04]; and difference of change in z score for prudent diet, T3 vs T1: 0.02 [95% CI, -0.02 to 0.06]). The risk of incident dementia did not differ by dietary pattern (Western hazard ratio for T3 vs T1, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.92-1.22]; prudent hazard ratio for T3 vs T1, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.88-1.12]).Conclusions and relevanceThis study found that the dietary pattern of US adults at midlife was not associated with processing speed, word fluency, memory, or incident dementia in later life.
| S-EPMC6902753 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVE:We examined race/gender effects on initial levels and trajectories of self-reported physical and mental health, as well as the moderating role of personality. We hypothesized that health disparities would remain stable or decrease over time, and that at-risk personality traits (e.g., neuroticism) would have a more robust negative impact on health for Black participants. METHOD:Analyses utilized 6 waves of data from a community sample of 1,577 Black and White adults (mean age 60 years), assessed every 6 months for 2.5 years. Using multigroup latent growth curve modeling, we examined initial levels and changes in health among White men, White women, Black men, and Black women. RESULTS:Black participants reported lower initial physical health than Whites. Women's physical health was stable over time, whereas men's declined. There were no disparities in mental health. Higher agreeableness was associated with higher initial levels of physical health only among Black men and White women. All other personality traits were associated with physical and mental health similarly across race and gender. CONCLUSIONS:Race and gender influence health trajectories. Most personality- health associations replicated across race and gender, except for agreeableness with physical health. An intersectional framework considering more than one aspect of social identity is crucial for understanding health disparities. Future studies may benefit from including large, diverse samples of participants and further examining the moderating effects of race and gender on personality associations with a variety of health outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
| S-EPMC6557706 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:There is growing interest in public health strategies to modify dementia risk in midlife to reduce the burden of cognitive impairment in subsequent decades. Risk reduction messages should include key recommendations for women in response to the high prevalence of dementia observed in this population. Midlife is a critical period for dementia-related brain changes and psychosocial crises. Psychological well-being can improve resilience to crises, yet it is not well understood with respect to dementia risk reduction. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to examine the association between midlife psychological well-being and cognitive function in later life in women. METHODS:The study included 703 women from the British 1946 birth cohort in the Medical Research Council's National Survey of Health and Development. Psychological well-being at 52 years was assessed using the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-being over six dimensions: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Cognitive function at 69 years was measured using the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination, Third Edition. RESULTS:After controlling for cognitive ability at eight years, educational attainment by 26 years, occupational attainment and marital status by 53 years, depression, smoking, and physical exercise at 60-64 years, there was a significant association between greater personal growth and lower self-acceptance at 52 years, and better cognition at 69 years. However, there was no association between cognition and the other four Ryff scales. CONCLUSION:Most aspects of midlife psychological well-being, except for personal growth and self-acceptance, were not prospectively associated with cognition.
| S-EPMC6894933 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVE:A study was undertaken to examine the association between overall cardiovascular health as recently defined by the American Heart Association in young adulthood to middle age and cognitive function in midlife. Overall ideal cardiovascular health incorporates 7 metrics, including the avoidance of overweight or obesity, a healthful diet, nonsmoking, and physical activity, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose at goal levels. METHODS:This analysis of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, a multicenter community-based study with 25 years of follow-up, included 2,932 participants aged 18 to 30 years at baseline (year 0) who attended follow-up examinations at years 7 and 25. Cardiovascular health metrics were measured at each examination. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), modified Stroop test, and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) were completed at year 25. RESULTS:A greater number of ideal cardiovascular metrics in young adulthood and middle age were independently associated with better cognitive function in midlife (p for trend < 0.01, for all). Specifically, each additional ideal metric was associated with 1.32 more symbols on the DSST (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.93 - 1.71), a 0.77-point lower interference score on the Stroop test (95% CI=-1.03 to -0.45), and 0.12 more words on the RAVLT (95% CI = 0.04 to 0.20). Participants who had ?5 ideal metrics at a greater number of the 3 examinations over the 25-year period exhibited better performance on each cognitive test in middle age (p for trend < 0.01, for all). INTERPRETATION:Ideal cardiovascular health in young adulthood and its maintenance to middle age is associated with better psychomotor speed, executive function, and verbal memory in midlife.
| S-EPMC3608821 | biostudies-literature