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Associations Between Lifestyle and Cognitive Function Over Time in Women Aged 40–79 Years

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lo, Ada H.Y.a; 1 | Woodman, Richard J.b; *; 1 | Pachana, Nancy A.a | Byrne, Gerard J.c | Sachdev, Perminder S.d

Affiliations: [a] School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia | [b] Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia | [c] School of Medicine, University of Queensland, and Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia | [d] Brain and Ageing Research Program, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, and Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Richard J Woodman, Director, Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (FCEB), Discipline of General Practice, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA 5001, Australia. Tel.: +61 08 7221 8537; Fax: +61 08 7221 8544; E-mail: [email protected].

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to the manuscript.

Keywords: Cognitive function, drinking, physical activity smoking, women

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-130971

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 371-383, 2014

Accepted 16 September 2013
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Published: 24 January 2014
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Abstract

Background:

Smoking, excessive drinking, and physical inactivity are associated with reduced cognitive function but the independence, domain specific cognitive effects, and trajectories of these associations are not firmly established.

Objective:

Our aim was to examine these lifestyle-cognitive function associations in middle-to-older aged women across time.

Methods:

Cohort study design with repeat surveys (2001, 2005, and 2008). Participants were volunteers from a random sample of Australian women on the Brisbane electoral roll; mean (±SD) age 60 ± 11 years in 2001. Outcome measures were the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Auditory Delayed Index (ADI), Visual Delayed Index (VDI), Working Memory Index (WMI), and Processing Speed Index (PSI).

Results:

489 women completed cognitive testing in 2001, 451 in 2005, and 376 in 2008. Mean (±SD) cognitive scores in 2001 were MMSE: 29.1 ± 1.2, ADI: 104.6 ± 13.4, VDI: 107.2 ± 14.0, WMI: 104.1 ± 12.3, and PSI: 102.7 ± 11.8. Multivariate adjusted mean scores (95% CI) over the 7-year study period were higher for moderate drinkers than non-drinkers for the MMSE (β = 0.32; 0.04, 0.61), the VDI (β = 4.33; 0.96, 7.70), and the WMI (β = 3.21; 0.34, 6.07). Current smokers performed worse than never-smokers for the MMSE (β = −0.35; 0.64, −0.06), the VDI (β = −3.91; −7.57, −0.26), the WMI (β = −3.42; −6.67, −0.18), and the PSI (β = −5.89; −8.91, −2.87). PSI was higher in women performing strenuous physical activity compared to inactive women (β = 2.14; 0.37, 3.90). None of the three lifestyle parameters influenced the changes in cognition across time.

Conclusions:

Alcohol and exercise were associated with selective protective effects and tobacco with selective harmful effects on cognitive function in middle-to-older aged women. Associations remained consistent across time.

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