An increasing body of recent research suggests that cognitive inconsistency, or heightened intrainidividual variability (IIV), maybe an index of cognitive and neurological vulnerability. Increasing age, cognitive impairment, and Parkinson's disease have all been associated with greater inconsistency, as indicated by individuals'greater fluctuations around their own intra-personal mean levels. Increased cognitive inconsistency has been related to lower overall performance and steeper decline of cognitive abilities. Functionally, the inability to consistently produce adequate levels of cognitive performance may yield inconsistency in daily tasks that rely on cognition, such as driving, medication adherence, and balancing checkbooks. The current proposal seeks support to conduct secondary data analyses of a study of physical fitness promotion for older adults in which participants received 18 weekly assessments of multiple cognitive tasks (e.g., reasoning, speed, attention) as well as measures of affect and self-efficacy, daily assessments of physical activity participation, and sleep diaries. The current study seeks to investigate whether concurrent variations in sleep and physical activity were lawfully related to variations in cognition, and whether such associations differed by domain of cognition. Several studies have examined the positive effect of increased physical activity and more sleep in late-life, and the positive relationship between sleep and exercise, but no research has examined the effects of physical activity and sleep on cognitive inconsistency, nor has any research examined sleep as a possible mediator through which physical activity may be associated with cognitive functioning.
The specific aims of this NRSA are: (1) to describe elders'magnitude of cognitive inconsistency at two different temporal resolutions (weekly, momentary), (2) to explore how level of performance and inconsistency in sleep and physical activity are related to cognitive inconsistency, and (3) to explore the extent to which weekly fluctuations in cognition co-occur with concurrent fluctuations in physical activity and sleep;moreover, various dynamic associations (i.e., lagged, reciprical associations overtime) will be explored. Furthermore, sleep will be examined as a mediator of the relationship between activity and cognition over time.

Public Health Relevance

The findings from this research will aid public health by identifying (potentially modifiable) factors that are associated with cognitive inconsistency in older adults. This research will also provide information regarding normative levels of cognitive inconsistency.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
1F31AG032802-01A1
Application #
7673099
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F16-Z (20))
Program Officer
Mackiewicz, Miroslaw
Project Start
2009-05-21
Project End
2011-05-20
Budget Start
2009-05-21
Budget End
2010-05-20
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$31,663
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Florida
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
969663814
City
Gainesville
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32611
Ravyts, Scott G; Dzierzewski, Joseph M; Grah, Stephanie C et al. (2018) Sleep and Pain in Mid- to Late-Life: An Exploration of Day-to-Day Pain Inconsistency. Clin Gerontol 41:123-129
McCrae, Christina S; Dzierzewski, Joseph M; McNamara, Joseph P H et al. (2016) Changes in Sleep Predict Changes in Affect in Older Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Dementia: A Multilevel Model Approach. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 71:458-62
Floegel, Theresa A; Giacobbi Jr, Peter R; Dzierzewski, Joseph M et al. (2015) Intervention markers of physical activity maintenance in older adults. Am J Health Behav 39:487-99
Dzierzewski, Joseph M; Buman, Matthew P; Giacobbi Jr, Peter R et al. (2014) Exercise and sleep in community-dwelling older adults: evidence for a reciprocal relationship. J Sleep Res 23:61-8
Dautovich, Natalie D; Dzierzewski, Joseph M; Gum, Amber M (2014) Older adults display concurrent but not delayed associations between life stressors and depressive symptoms: a microlongitudinal study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 22:1131-9
Giacobbi Jr, P R; Buman, M P; Dzierzewski, J et al. (2014) Content and Perceived Utility of Mental Imagery by Older Adults in a Peer-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention. J Appl Sport Psychol 26:129-143
Kay, Daniel B; Dzierzewski, Joseph M; Rowe, Meredeth et al. (2013) Greater night-to-night variability in sleep discrepancy among older adults with a sleep complaint compared to noncomplaining older adults. Behav Sleep Med 11:76-90
Marsiske, Michael; Dzierzewski, Joseph M; Thomas, Kelsey R et al. (2013) Race-related disparities in 5-year cognitive level and change in untrained ACTIVE participants. J Aging Health 25:103S-27S
Dzierzewski, Joseph M; Marsiske, Michael; Morgan, Adrienne Aiken et al. (2013) Cognitive Inconsistency and Practice-Related Learning in Older Adults. GeroPsych (Bern) 26:
Zlatar, Zvinka Z; Towler, Stephen; McGregor, Keith M et al. (2013) Functional language networks in sedentary and physically active older adults. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 19:625-34

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