Risk factor profiles and cognitive function in older adults: the Brain Health Support Program Study

A better understanding of the impact of lifestyle factors on cognitive function in older adults is critical for developing intervention strategies to achieve successful aging. Moreover, older adults who fulfill the World Health Organization criteria for anemia have a significantly higher risk of developing dementia. In the current study, we aimed to assess the buffering effects of lifestyle on cognitive function in older Chinese adults through a nationally representative survey. The sample consisted of 1201 participants (mean age: 82.39 ± 12.08 years, 52.1% female) from the 2011/2012 and 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between changes in lifestyle factors and the rate of cognitive function changes, as well as the effects of the interaction between lifestyle factors and anemia on cognitive function changes. Increased levels of participation in leisure activities, social activities, and dietary diversity delayed cognitive decline. Persistent anemia accelerated cognitive decline, while frequent participation in leisure activities delayed cognitive decline due to anemia. The increased levels of participation in leisure activities, social activities, and dietary diversity can alleviate the cognitive decline caused by aging itself, and more frequently participation in leisure activities can also alleviate the adverse effects of anemia on cognitive function in older adults.

The mechanisms underlying the relationship between obesity and cognitive function remain unclear, particularly among older adults, where reliable evidence is limited. This study aimed to explore whether the relationship between obesity and cognitive function is mediated by sleep quality and blood pressure (BP) in older Chinese adults. We conducted an observational study using data from a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 5 follow-up periods involving older adults in rural China. The trial took place in Sichuan, China, from May 2021 to May 2023. Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS- 10) was used to assess the participants' cognitive function. Additionally, linear mixed-effects models and mediation analyses were performed. The mean age of participants was 70.89, and 225 out of 506 participants were males. Weight, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) were positively associated with cognitive function, while compared to normal/underweight participants, participants with overweight had a significant association with cognitive function. Sleep quality mediated the association between weight and cognitive function (β = 0.01, (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.01), P < 0.001), accounting for a mediating effect proportion of 4.04% (95% CI: 2.19% to 8.00%). Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) mediated the association between overweight (β = 0.02, (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.05), P < 0.001), HC (β = 0.01, (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.01), P = 0.02), and WC (β = 0.01, (95% CI: 0.00, 0.01), P <0.001) and cognitive function, explaining approximately 4.46% (95% CI: 0.41% to 12.00%), 7.16% (95% CI: 0.36%, 17.00%), and 9.60% (95% CI: 1.11%, 25.00%) mediating proportion of the total effect, respectively. Our study highlights the potential mediating roles of sleep quality and DBP in the relationship between obesity and cognitive function. The findings contribute to understanding the obesity-cognition link in older adults, particularly in rural settings. However, limitations, such as self-reported sleep measures and unmeasured confounders, warrant caution. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms and inform targeted interventions. Our study demonstrates a significant positive association between weight, body mass index (BMI), HC, and WC and cognitive function in older adults. These findings suggest that maintaining a moderately high level of overweight may be protective against cognitive decline in this population. Additionally, the study also provides insights into optimizing cognitive function through factors, such as sleep and BP management.

Cognitive decline is a rapidly increasing public health concern. A healthy diet has potential in preserving brain and maintaining cognitive health. This systematic review was designed to evaluate the relationship between Mediterranean-DASH diet intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet and cognitive functioning in older adults. PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched to extract original studies on humans published until July 2020, without date restrictions. Articles that evaluated the association between MIND diet and cognitive performance in older adults were included. Duplicated and irrelevant studies were screened out and data were obtained through critical analysis. Quality of the articles and risk of bias was assessed by Newcastle-Ottawa and Cochrane Collaboration's quality assessment tools. Of the 135 studies retrieved, 13 articles (9 cohort, 3 cross-sectional, and 1 RCT studies) were included in the final review. All of the included studies indicated that adherence to the MIND diet was positively associated with specific domains, but not all, of cognition and global cognitive function (78% of the studies) in older adults. MIND diet was superior to other plant-rich diets including Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, Pro-Vegetarian and Baltic Sea diets, for improving cognition. Adherence to the MIND diet may possibly be associated with an improved cognitive function in older adults. MIND diet may be superior to other plant-rich diets for improving cognition.

Baseline data are reported from a study of the effects of zinc supplementation on cognitive function in older adults as assessed by the CANTAB computerised test battery. This is a multicentre prospective intervention study employing a randomised double-blind design. European community-based study. There are 387 healthy adults aged 55-87 y from centres in France, Italy and Northern Ireland. Measures of visual memory, working memory and attention were obtained at baseline (prior to supplementation). Younger adults (<70 y) performed significantly better than older adults (>70 y) on all tests, with minimal differences between centres. In addition, men outperformed women on tests of spatial span, pattern recognition memory and reaction times, although these gender differences varied somewhat between centres. The results are generally consistent with previous age- and gender-related effects on cognitive functioning.

BackgroundExtreme temperature-related events can have a negative impact on the health of populations, especially the elderly. However, there is a lack of research on the relationship between heat exposure and cognitive function in older adults. We aim to explore the association between temperature and cognitive function through a national study of middle-aged and older adults.MethodsThis study was based on data from the 2018 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which screened 6,605 participants who met the inclusion criteria and merged historical meteorological data. We controlled for temperature-related meteorological variables and covariates affecting cognitive function, and used Generalized Linear Model to investigate the correlation between ambient temperature exposure and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. Stepwise regression was used to examine the mediating role of depression levels in the impact of temperature on cognitive function.ResultsAfter controlling for covariates and meteorological variables, the number of days of high temperature exposure was significantly negatively associated with cognitive function. The number of days of high temperature exposure was positively associated with depression, and depression was negatively associated with cognitive function. Mediation effect analyses indicated that depression playing a partial mediating role in the association between high temperature exposure and cognitive function.ConclusionsHigh temperatures exposure was significantly associated with reduced cognitive function, and depression levels may partially mediate this association. This finding has important implications for the design of public policies to reduce the role of high temperatures on mental health.

It is well known that physical exercise has beneficial effects on cognitive function in older adults. Recently, several physical exercise programs with virtual reality (VR) have been proposed to support physical exercise benefits. However, it is still unclear whether VR physical exercise (VR-PE) has positive effects on cognitive function in older adults. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review (SR) of the effects of VR-PE on cognitive function in older adults with and without cognitive decline. We used academic databases to search for research papers. The criteria were intervention study using any VR-PE, participants were older adults with and without mild cognitive decline (not dementia), and cognitive functions were assessed. We found that 6 of 11 eligible studies reported the significant benefits of the VR-PE on a wide range of cognitive functions in aging populations. The SR revealed that VR-PE has beneficial effects on the inhibition of executive functions in older adults with and without mild cognitive decline. Moreover, VR-PE selectively leads to improvements in shifting and general cognitive performance in healthy older adults. The SR suggests that VR-PE could be a successful approach to improve cognitive function in older adults with and without cognitive decline.

As people age, declines in physiological functions can lead to changes in sleep and dietary patterns, potentially influencing cognitive function. However, longitudinal evidence examining how food consumption mediates the relationship between sleep parameters and cognitive function in Chinese older adults remains limited. Examining these longitudinal trajectories, beyond single-timepoint measurements, is crucial for understanding their dynamic nature and impact on cognitive function. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the longitudinal trajectories of sleep and food consumption in older adults, and to examine the mediating role of food consumption patterns in the sleep-cognition relationship. The sample population included 8724 older adults who derived from waves 4 to 7 (2005 to 2014) in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Self-reported sleep duration, sleep quality, and food consumption were evaluated in face-to-face interviews. The main outcomes were global cognitive composite z scores. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) identified distinct long-term change patterns of sleep duration, sleep quality and food consumption, and generalized estimating equations (GEE) evaluated their prospective associations with global cognitive scores. Additionally, structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to assess the mediating role of food consumption in the relationships between sleep duration, sleep quality, and cognitive function. Food consumption mediated the associations between sleep duration, sleep quality, and cognitive function in older adults. After adjusting for confounders, decreasing low fruit and vegetable consumption mediated a negative impact on cognition, with both shortened (0.024, 95%CI: 0.003 to 0.048) and excessive sleep duration (0.076, 95%CI: 0.040 to 0.117) linked to decreasing low fruit and vegetable consumption. A rapid decline in meat, fish, egg, and bean consumption also mediated the negative effect of shorter sleep duration on cognition (mediation effects: -0.009, 95%CI: -0.014 to -0.005), whereas increased milk consumption acted as a complete mediator, positively influencing cognition. No mediating effect was observed for nuts consumption. Furthermore, stable, high-quality sleep promoted increased consumption of fruit and vegetable (0.039, 95%CI: 0.020 to 0.058), meat, fish, egg, and bean (-0.011, 95%CI: -0.133 to -0.088), milk (0.022, 95%CI: 0.001 to 0.043), and nuts (0.043, 95%CI: 0.021 to 0.065), all positively associated with cognitive levels. This study illustrates that food consumption can improve the decline in cognitive levels in older adults that may be undermined by unhealthy sleep habits. Our research findings are of great importance to both clinical practice and public health policy.

Objective : This pilot study aims to investigate the effects of computerized cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive function, depression, and rehabilitative motivation in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods : This pilot study follows a pre-post design and 15 older adults with MCI participated. The intervention comprised of 30-minute sessions 4 to 5 times a week for 4 weeks. The Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment-G (LOTCA-G), the short form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K), and a volitional questionnaire (VQ) were employed to assess cognitive function, depression, and rehabilitative motivation. A statistical analysis using the paired t-test was performed to determine changes after the intervention. Results : Older adults with MCI showed significant improvement in cognitive function after intervention (p=.003). There were no significant changes in depression (p=.055) or rehabilitative motivation (p=.116). Conclusion : These findings suggest that computerized cognitive rehabilitation may have a positive effect on the improvement of cognitive function in older adults with MCI.

Background: Cognitive decline is an important factor affecting the health and well‐being of older adults. Previous studies have shown that acrylamide (AA) caused neurological damage among occupationally exposed workers. However, the effect of AA on cognitive function in general older adults is unclear yet. Therefore, this cross‐sectional study is aimed at examining the relationships between blood markers of AA and cognitive function in the general elderly population. Methods: Four hundred sixty‐seven older adults (230 men and 237 women) aged 60 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2013–2014) were included in this study. Logistic regression models were applied to explore the relationships between blood markers of AA and cognitive function. Results: After adjusting for all confounders, at the animal fluency test (AFT) dimension, the odds ratio (OR) for individuals in the highest tertile of hemoglobin (Hb) adducts of acrylamide (HbAA) and its metabolite glycidamide (hemoglobin adducts of glycidamide (HbGA)) were 0.251 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.090, 0.699) and 0.354 (95% CI: 0.164, 0.761), respectively, compared with individuals in the lowest tertile, indicating that both HbAA and HbGA were negatively associated with the decline in cognitive function in dimension AFT. No significant associations were seen on other dimensions. Moreover, HbGA/HbAA had no association with any dimensions of cognitive decline. Conclusion: Collectively, our results suggest that HbAA and HbGA are not positively associated with cognitive decline in the general elderly population and are negatively related to the AFT dimension of cognitive impairment.

Studies addressing frailty in the context of multiple sclerosis (MS) are emergent. This study explores cognitive function in older adults with MS as a function of frailty status. This cross-sectional study used baseline data from a feasibility randomized controlled trial of a home-based exercise program for older adults with MS. Frailty was verified using performance scores from the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and cut points available in the literature. Cognitive function was assessed using the Brief International Cognitive Assessments for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS). Data were analyzed using inferential statistics adopting a significance of P < .05. Data from 26 older adults with MS (≥60 years) were analyzed. The majority of the participants were women, and over 85% of the sample had the relapsing-remitting form of MS. Participants reported a mean of more than 20 years of disease and a moderate level of disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale score = 4). Nearly 58% of the sample was classified as frail based on SPPB scores. Univariate analysis demonstrated that frail older adults performed significantly worse (P < .05) on all 3 BICAMS tests. However, after controlling for age and disability level, only visuospatial memory remained significant between frailty groups (P = .043). Our findings suggest reduced cognitive function in frail older adults with MS compared with their nonfrail counterparts. This highlights the need to develop interventions to improve cognitive function and to reverse frailty for older adults with MS.

This study investigated the effects of an interactive multitouch game-based cognitive intervention (ICI) on cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults. Thirty-two older adults (19 women) between 65 and 84 years of age (mean age, 74.47 ± 4.30 years) without a history of neurological disease participated. They were randomized into two groups: intervention and control. The intervention group took part in ICI sessions using HAPPYTABLE® (Spring Soft Co. Ltd, Seoul, Korea) (ICI group), and the control group underwent a traditional paper-and-pencil-based cognitive intervention (TCI group). Both groups completed 10 intervention sessions over four consecutive weeks. Cognitive function was assessed before (pre-intervention) and after (post-intervention) intervention. Executive function was evaluated through the Color-Word Stroop Test (CWST) and Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Memory was assessed through the Verbal Learning Test (VLT) and Rey Complex FigureTest (RCFT). The ICI and TCI groups showed significant improvements in some cognitive functions after the intervention. Both groups showed substantial improvements in VLT and RCFT (P < 0.05), reflecting memory function. Regarding the executive role, the ICI group showed significant post-intervention improvements in the conditions of the CWST incongruent (ICI 76.31 ± 23.82; P = 0.004) compared to the pre-intervention scores. ANCOVA with pre-intervention scores and gender as covariates revealed improved results in the ICI group compared with the VLT delayed (ICI 9.18 ± 1.68, TCI 7.56 ± 2.13; P = 0.015) and VLT recognition task (ICI 22.81 ± 1.22, TCI 21.38 ± 1.09; P = 0.035). These findings revealed that both ICI and TCI helped increase cognitive performance in community-dwelling older persons; nevertheless, ICI showed better improvement in memory function than TCI. Thus, the ICI can be used to improve cognitive performance among older adults living in the community.

Musical training is thought to change the brain beyond just the areas that subserve those skills. To test this, we measured cognitive function and brain activity in a sample of older adults, using a longitudinal design. Twenty older adult participants (M = 71.0 ± 5.56 years) were recruited. Half of participants were randomized to receive weekly piano lessons with daily homework assignments, and the other half were randomized to receive weekly music-listening sessions with daily listening assignments. Cognitive function was tested before and after training using standardized computerized assessments and parts A and B of the Trail Making Test. Brain activity was evaluated using electroencephalography. Participants who were given piano training performed better than controls on tests of reasoning (p = .01) and composite memory (p &lt; .05) and had differences in brain activation. These results suggest that music learning may enhance cognitive functioning in older adults.

Objectives: This study aims to systematically analyze domestic literature on cognitive function in older adults published between 2010 and 2024 using the Biopsychosocial Model and to suggest future research directions for preventing cognitive decline among older adults. Methods: The study conducted a systematic literature search using the Korea Education and Research Information Service (RISS) database, targeting papers published in KCI-indexed academic journals. Using the keywords 'cognitive function in older adults' or 'cognitive function in later life', a total of 834 papers were identified. After reviewing the titles and abstracts, 99 studies were finally selected that met the research objectives. The selected papers were analyzed based on publication year, subjects, methods, and themes. Results: The results indicate that research on cognitive function in older adults has shown an increasing trend since 2016, with over 10 studies published annually in the last three years since 2022. Regarding research subjects, studies predominantly focused on the general population of older adults, with relatively fewer studies considering specific subgroups such as older women and those living alone. In terms of research methods, 68.7% of studies utilized large-scale pre-existing datasets, with the Aging Research Panel Survey being the most frequently used (36.4%). The thematic analysis revealed that studies on biological factors accounted for the largest proportion (30.3%), followed by studies analyzing multiple factors (28.3%), psychological factors (26.3%), and social factors (15.1%). Conclusions: This study highlights the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach that applies the Biopsychosocial Model in cognitive function research in older adults. It emphasizes the importance of integrated research reflecting the interactions of biological, psychological, and social factors. Such research is expected to provide scientific evidence for dementia prevention and support the development of family caregiving support systems in South Korea, which is entering a super-aged society.

BackgroundThe positive correlation between physical activity and cognitive function has been increasingly documented, while the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.MethodsThis study aimed to investigate the association among physical activity (PA), functional fitness, and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults, and to examine whether functional fitness mediates this association. This study utilized a cross-sectional design, encompassing 224 participants aged 65 or above, with 41.07% male and 58.93% female. The data were collected in 2023 using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, and Senior Fitness Test. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess associations among the variables, and mediation analysis was performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.ResultsThe results indicated that PA had a moderate positive correlation with cognitive function (r = 0.437, p < 0.01) and with most functional fitness domains. In addition, significant positive correlations were found among most functional fitness domains and cognitive function. The association between PA and cognitive function was partially mediated by cardiorespiratory endurance (Effect = 0.0519, 95% CI= [0.0205, 0.0889]).ConclusionThis study demonstrated a positive correlation between PA and cognitive function in older adults, with cardiorespiratory endurance mediating this association. Our study provides valuable preliminary evidence that cardiorespiratory endurance exerts a mediating role between PA and cognitive function. Future longitudinal research is warranted to elucidate the causal relationship and underlying mechanisms between PA and cognitive function.

Individual and meteorological factors are associated with cognitive function in older adults. However, how these two factors interact with each other to affect cognitive function in older adults is still unclear. We used mixed effects models to assess the association of individual and meteorological factors with cognitive function among older adults. Individual data in this study were from the database of China Family Panel Studies. A total of 3448 older adults from 25 provinces were included in our analysis. Cognitive functions were measured using a memory test and a logical sequence test. We used the meteorological data in the daily climate dataset of China’s surface international exchange stations, and two meteorological factors (i.e., average temperature and relative humidity) were assessed. The empty model showed significant differences in the cognitive scores of the older adults across different provinces. The results showed a main impact of residence (i.e., urban or rural) and a significant humidity–residence interaction on memory performance in older adults. Specifically, the negative association between humidity and memory performance was more pronounced in urban areas. This study suggested that meteorological factors may, in concert with individual factors, be associated with differences in memory function in older adults.