Assessment of Lifestyle Experiences across Lifespan and Cognitive Ageing in the Indian Context

With rising numbers of elderly and dementia in developing societies, there is a need to understand factors protective against dementia. Evidence suggests that lifetime cognitive activities including education, occupation, and complex leisure activities contribute to cognitive reserve. However, these factors are understudied in India. This paper describes the validation of the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire (LEQ), a comprehensive measure of complex lifetime activities, to the Indian cultural context. It also examines the relationship between lifetime experiences and cognition among 52 healthy elderly and 30 dementia patients. High inter-rater (κ=0.923, p < 0.001), test-retest (ρ: 0.905 to 0.986) reliability, and internal consistency were found for LEQ-total (0.992) and sub-scores. Literate dementia patients (25) scored significantly lower mid-life (27.5 vs. 23.3), late-life (28.5 vs. 22.5) and total LEQ (83.5 vs. 20.9) scores than literate healthy group (37). LEQ scores positively correlated with global cognition, and domains of attention and memory on the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination, in healthy and dementia groups. Moreover, LEQ scores correlated positively with age at onset of dementia and negatively with clinical dementia rating (CDR) scores. Our study demonstrates that lifetime activities, especially mid-life experiences, play a protective role in development of late-life dementia, and need to be advocated to preserve late-life cognition.

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PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF LIFETIME EXPERIENCES ON FUNCTIONAL STATUS IN YOUNG-ONSET DEMENTIA

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.436 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S118-S119 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tram N Pham ◽

Lauren Massimo ◽

Katheryn A Cousins

Keyword(s):

Functional Status ◽

Disease Duration ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

Late Life ◽

Clinical Dementia Rating ◽

Young Onset ◽

Young Onset Dementia ◽

The Relationship ◽

Cognitive Lifestyle

Abstract Patients with Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), a common form of young-onset dementia, experience decline in cognitive, social and daily functioning as the disease progresses. Research shows that lifestyle factors may be an important modifiable risk factor for dementia, but this has not been well studied in FTD. In this study, we test the hypothesis that lifetime experiences, including education, occupation, and leisure activities, are associated with better functional status in individuals with FTD. We also evaluated the relationship between timing of experiences (early, mid-life, and late-life) and functional status. Thirty-five patients (mean age 61.6±8.7; 74% male; mean disease duration 3.4 ± 2.6; mean MMSE 24.0 ± 5.5) completed the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire (LEQ), a comprehensive assessment of lifelong cognitive lifestyle, and the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), which was used to assess functional status. Linear regression tested the relationship between cognitive lifestyle and functional status, with age and disease duration included as covariates. Higher total LEQ score was associated with better functional status (lower score on CDR) (β = -0.047, p = 0.009). While Young Adulthood LEQ score was not significantly associated with total CDR (β = -0.047, p = 0.176), both Mid-life (β = -0.117, p = 0.011) and Late-life (β = -0.133, p = 0.013) LEQ score significantly contributed to functional status. Our results indicate that functional status is mediated in part by cognitive lifestyle and that experiences accumulated in mid-life and late-life have a greater effect on functional status at time of diagnosis.

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Behaviors Characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.506 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 155-155

Author(s):

Elizabeth Rhodus ◽

Justin Barber ◽

Erin Abner ◽

Shani Bardach ◽

Graham Rowles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Rating Scale ◽

De Novo ◽

Age At Onset ◽

Late Life ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Clinical Dementia Rating

Abstract Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is commonly recognized by the time of adolescence, but is poorly understood in older adults. The possibility of late-life emergence of ASD has been poorly explored. In order to investigate late-life emergence of behaviors characteristic of ASD in MCI and AD, we surveyed caregivers of 142 older adults with neurodegenerative cognitive impairment using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-2. Participants with high autism index ratings (Autism ‘Possible/Very Likely’, n=23) reported significantly (statistically and clinically) younger age at onset of cognitive impairment than those who scored in the Autism ‘Unlikely’ range (n=119): 71.14±10.9 vs. 76.65±8.25 (p = 0.034). Additionally, those in Autism ‘Possible/Very Likely’ group demonstrated advanced severity of cognitive impairment, indicated by Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes scores. Data demonstrate that ASD behaviors may appear de novo of degenerative dementia and such behaviors are more prevalent in those with early onset dementia. Further work elucidating a connection between ASD and dementia could shed light on subclinical forms of ASD, identify areas of shared neuroanatomic involvement between ASD and dementias, and provide valuable insights that might hasten the development of therapeutic strategies.

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A controlled family study of late-onset non-affective psychosis (late paraphrenia)

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.170.6.511 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 170 (6) ◽

pp. 511-514 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

R. J. Howard ◽

C. Graham ◽

P. Sham ◽

J. Dennehey ◽

D. J. Castle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Late Onset ◽

Psychiatric Morbidity ◽

Late Life ◽

Lifetime Risk ◽

First Degree Relatives ◽

Healthy Elderly ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Age Range ◽

The Relationship

BackgroundThe relationship between those schizophrenia-like conditions that have their onset in late life and early-onset schizophrenia is unclear. Very few family history studies of patients with late-onset psychosis have been reported, and it is not known whether their relatives have an increased risk of psychosis.MethodInformation was collected on the psychiatric morbidity of 269 first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia or delusional disorder with an onset after the age of 60 (late paraphrenia), and 272 first-degree relatives of healthy elderly control subjects, using a research diagnostic instrument.ResultsWith a narrow age range (15–50 years) at risk, the estimated lifetime risk of schizophrenia was 1.3% in the relatives of both cases and controls. With a wider age range (15–90 years) at risk, estimated lifetime risk of schizophrenia was 2.3% for the relatives of cases, and 2.2% for the relatives of controls. However, depression was significantly more common among the relatives of cases than controls.ConclusionThose schizophrenia-like psychoses with onset in late life are not genetically associated with schizophrenia.

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Correlation between Leisure Activity Time and Life Satisfaction: Based on KOSTAT Time Use Survey Data

Occupational Therapy International ◽

10.1155/2018/5154819 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yu-Jin Cha

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Time Use ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

National Level ◽

Leisure Activity ◽

Full Time ◽

Activity Time ◽

Healthy Elderly ◽

Time Use Survey

Rationale. This study aims to investigate the correlation between the available leisure activity time and life satisfaction of the healthy elderly and the factors affecting them. Method. For the analysis, data from the 2014 Time Use Survey (2014TUS) published by Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) was used. This study classified the detailed activities of 9228 subjects, based on the data in 2014TUS, and analyzed the differences in time use for occupation domains by age group. Results. It was found that a greater amount time used for outdoor leisure activities yielded a higher life satisfaction value. Differences were found in time use by occupation domains between younger and older groups. These showed higher life satisfaction for those with spouses, regular full-time jobs, higher education, and better health. Conclusion. Based on these results, in order to improve the quality of life (QoL) for older adults, it is necessary to develop various leisure programs that require dynamic physical activities and to prepare alternative policies at the national level to promote participation in leisure activities by older adults. This study will provide occupational therapists (OTs) with data they can use to help older adults who have difficulty in time usage through time management intervention to improve their life satisfaction and QoL.

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Age at onset in late-life delusional depression

American Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1176/ajp.146.6.785 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 146 (6) ◽

pp. 785-786 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Keyword(s):

Age At Onset ◽

Late Life ◽

Delusional Depression

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Metabolic Derangements Contribute to Reduced sRAGE Isoforms in Subjects with Alzheimer’s Disease

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2018/2061376 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Kelly N. Z. Fuller ◽

Edwin R. Miranda ◽

John P. Thyfault ◽

Jill K. Morris ◽

Jacob M. Haus

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Advanced Glycation End Products ◽

Total Serum ◽

Metabolic Dysfunction ◽

Advanced Glycation ◽

Clinical Dementia Rating ◽

Healthy Elderly ◽

Glycation End Products ◽

End Products

Although there is evidence for metabolic dysfunction and chronic inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), circulating levels of soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) ligand S100B have not been characterized. sRAGE is an important mediator in disease as it can act as a ligand decoy for RAGE and attenuate downstream inflammatory signaling. Cognitively healthy elderly and AD participants with and without type 2 diabetes (n=135) were stratified according to the clinical dementia rating (CDR; 0 = normal cognition (NC); ≥0.5 = AD). Total serum sRAGE, endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE), and S100B were assayed via ELISAs, and cleaved RAGE (cRAGE) and the cRAGE : esRAGE ratio were calculated. cRAGE : esRAGE was lower in AD compared to NC (p<0.05). Metabolic substratifications were used to investigate the factors that influence sRAGE pathology in AD. Stratification by BMI classification, median fat mass, median HOMA-IR, median insulin, and median amylin were all metabolic or anthropometric factors which significantly interacted with sRAGE profiles within AD subjects. There were no significant differences in serum S100B between groups. These characterizations of sRAGE contribute evidence to the link between impaired metabolism and cognitive decline due to AD.

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THE ROLE OF POLYGENIC SCORE AND COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING OF OLDER ADULTS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.954 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S255-S255

Author(s):

Su Hyun Shin ◽

Soohyun Park ◽

Giyeon Kim

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

Later Life ◽

Genetic Traits ◽

Polygenic Score ◽

Crystallized Intelligence ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Cognitive Activities ◽

Positive Effect

Abstract Purpose of study: This study investigated whether and to what extent genetics for cognition and engagement in cognitive activities are related to trajectories of cognitive functioning in older adulthood. Furthermore, we explored whether engaging in cognitive activities could moderate the effect of genetic traits on cognitive functioning in general and across different dimensions: fluid and crystallized intelligence. Design and Methods: Growth curve models were estimated using the sample of 3,129 individuals aged 50 or older (10,000 observations) in the U.S. from 2000-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Polygenic score for general cognition (PGS) was used to measure genetic traits for cognition, and the number of hours spent per week on each of nine cognitive activities was used to measure individuals’ level of the engagement in cognitive activities. Results: PGS for cognition, reading books, using a computer, and playing cards/games/solving puzzles had positive effects on cognitive functioning. The positive effect of PGS on cognitive functioning was reduced from excessive TV watching. The positive effect of PGS on cognitive functioning was strengthened by spending more hours reading papers/magazines. The measure of fluid, rather than crystallized intelligence, appeared to drive these results. Conclusion: Findings suggests that while genetic factors predict cognitive functioning, engaging in different types of cognitive activities could yield different cognitive functioning trajectories in later life. Practical implications are that older adults should be more selective when choosing their leisure activities to promote cognitive health.

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