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Lifecourse Activity Participation From Early, Mid, and Later Adulthood as Determinants of Cognitive Aging: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1921

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  • Alan J. Gow
  • Alison Pattie
  • Ian J. Deary

Abstract

Objectives:To examine potential sensitive periods for activity participation across adulthood to reduce cognitive decline and to determine whether associations persist after accounting for the lifetime stability of cognitive ability.Method:The Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 is a longitudinal study of cognitive aging. Participants were born in 1921 and most completed a mental ability test at the age of 11 years. Cognitive assessments were completed at mean ages 79 (N = 550), 83 (N = 321), 87 (N = 235), and 90 years (N = 129). Participants provided retrospective details of their activity participation for young (20–35 years), mid (40–55 years), and later adulthood (60–75 years), and contemporaneously at age 79.Results:Associations between activity and the level of, and change in, cognitive ability in old age were examined with latent growth curve models. Accounting for demographics and childhood cognitive ability, engagement in leisure activities in midlife was positively associated with cognitive ability level (path coefficient = .32), whereas higher physical activity in later adulthood was associated with less cognitive decline (.27).Discussion:The findings support a lifecourse approach in identifying determinants of cognitive aging; leisure and physical activity during different periods of adulthood may enhance cognitive abilities or reduce decline.

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  • Alan J. Gow & Alison Pattie & Ian J. Deary, 2017. "Lifecourse Activity Participation From Early, Mid, and Later Adulthood as Determinants of Cognitive Aging: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1921," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(1), pages 25-37.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:72:y:2017:i:1:p:25-37.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/geronb/gbw124
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. G Sophia Borgeest & Richard N Henson & Meredith Shafto & David Samu & Cam-CAN & Rogier A Kievit, 2020. "Greater lifestyle engagement is associated with better age-adjusted cognitive abilities," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-24, May.
    2. Linda B HassingPhD & Shevaun NeupertPhDDecision Editor, 2020. "Gender Differences in the Association Between Leisure Activity in Adulthood and Cognitive Function in Old Age: A Prospective Longitudinal Population-Based Study," Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Gerontological Society of America, vol. 75(1), pages 11-20.
    3. Giovanni Sala & Daniela Jopp & Fernand Gobet & Madoka Ogawa & Yoshiko Ishioka & Yukie Masui & Hiroki Inagaki & Takeshi Nakagawa & Saori Yasumoto & Tatsuro Ishizaki & Yasumichi Arai & Kazunori Ikebe & , 2019. "The impact of leisure activities on older adults’ cognitive function, physical function, and mental health," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-13, November.

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