The overall goal of this project is to examine whether cognitive status and cognitive change in middle age are predictive of rate of subsequent decline. While stability is the normative pattern for most mental abilities in midlife, longitudinal studies of normal aging have reported subgroups of middle-aged adults who show reliable decline or improvement on specific cognitive abilities. Adults who exhibit early decline in midlife on select abilities may be at higher risk for an accelerated rate of cognitive decline in old age. Study participants (N = 698) are members from the Seattle Longitudinal Study (SLS) with longitudinal cognitive data obtained during midlife. Midlife cognitive change data has been used to identify patterns of change and to develop Midlife Cognitive Risk criteria for three domains: Episodic memory. Executive functioning, and Processing Speed. The impact of midlife cognition is being studied for two cohorts. For the Older Cohort (b1914 - 1941; M age = 77; N = 270), cognitive data are available in midlife and also in old age. For the Middle Age cohort (b1942 - 1969); N = 428; M age = 59) cognitive change data are available in midlife and early old age. The sample is further characterized by neuropsychological assessment, APO-E genotyping, and health histories. To examine the association of brain volume and cognitive change, rate of atrophy in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, prefrontal cortex and frontal white matter are being assessed by structural MRI at.four occasions..Xongitudinal..data.on.participants' engagement in stimulating cognitive activities is also being studied as a mediator of cognitive change.

Public Health Relevance

This study examines factors associates with the long preclinical phases of dementia. Earlier detection of individuals at risk for cognitive impairment would potentially beneift not only those individuals but also society who bears the cost for care of the cognitively impaired.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
3R37AG024102-10S3
Application #
9315250
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (NSS)
Program Officer
Wagster, Molly V
Project Start
2004-07-01
Project End
2017-05-31
Budget Start
2016-08-01
Budget End
2017-05-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
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Borghesani, Paul R; Weaver, Kurt E; Aylward, Elizabeth H et al. (2012) Midlife memory improvement predicts preservation of hippocampal volume in old age. Neurobiol Aging 33:1148-55
Mitchell, Meghan B; Cimino, Cynthia R; Benitez, Andreana et al. (2012) Cognitively Stimulating Activities: Effects on Cognition across Four Studies with up to 21 Years of Longitudinal Data. J Aging Res 2012:461592
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Lindwall, Magnus; Cimino, Cynthia R; Gibbons, Laura E et al. (2012) Dynamic associations of change in physical activity and change in cognitive function: coordinated analyses of four longitudinal studies. J Aging Res 2012:493598

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