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From the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Rush Institute for Healthy Aging and Departments of Neurological Sciences (Drs. Wilson, Bennett, and Evans), Psychology (Dr. Wilson), and Internal Medicine (Drs. Bienias, Mendes deLeon, Morris, and Evans), Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Robert S. Wilson, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, 1645 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 675, Chicago, IL 60612; e-mail: rwilson{at}rush.edu
Background: Frequent participation in cognitively stimulating activities has been associated with reduced risk of AD in several prospective studies. However, the association of cognitive activity with cognitive decline, the principal manifestation of AD, is not well understood.
Methods: More than 4,000 older residents of a geographically defined biracial community of Chicago were interviewed at approximately 3-year intervals for an average of 5.3 years. Each interview included administration of four cognitive function tests from which a previously established global measure was derived. At baseline, each person rated frequency of participation in cognitively stimulating activities (e.g., reading a magazine) from which a previously established composite measure of cognitive activity was derived.
Results: Cognitive activity scores ranged from 1 to 5 (mean = 3.14, SD = 0.66), with higher scores indicating more frequent participation. More frequent cognitive activity was associated with reduced cognitive decline during follow-up. In a model that controlled for baseline level of cognition, age, sex, race, and education, a 1-point increase in cognitive activity score was associated with an approximately 19% decrease in annual rate of cognitive decline (p < 0.001). This effect remained when we controlled for depressive symptoms and chronic medical conditions (p < 0.001), and when we excluded persons with evidence of memory impairment at baseline (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Frequent participation in cognitively stimulating activities is associated with reduced cognitive decline in older persons.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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  R. S. Wilson, P. A. Scherr, J. A. Schneider, Y. Tang, and D. A. Bennett Relation of cognitive activity to risk of developing Alzheimer disease Neurology, November 13, 2007; 69(20): 1911 - 1920. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 R. S. Wilson, J. A. Schneider, S. E. Arnold, J. L. Bienias, and D. A. Bennett Conscientiousness and the Incidence of Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Arch Gen Psychiatry, October 1, 2007; 64(10): 1204 - 1212. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 G. W. Rebok, M. C. Carlson, and J. B. S. Langbaum Training and Maintaining Memory Abilities in Healthy Older Adults: Traditional and Novel Approaches J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., June 1, 2007; 62(suppl_Special_Issue_1): 53 - 61. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. C. Morris, D. A. Evans, C. C. Tangney, J. L. Bienias, and R. S. Wilson Associations of vegetable and fruit consumption with age-related cognitive change Neurology, October 24, 2006; 67(8): 1370 - 1376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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T. Rundek and D. A. Bennett Cognitive leisure activities, but not watching TV, for future brain benefits Neurology, March 28, 2006; 66(6): 794 - 795. [Full Text] [PDF]
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 N. Sachs-Ericsson and D. G. Blazer Racial Differences in Cognitive Decline in a Sample of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Education and Literacy Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, November 1, 2005; 13(11): 968 - 975. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 M. T. Sturman, M. C. Morris, C. F. Mendes de Leon, J. L. Bienias, R. S. Wilson, and D. A. Evans Physical Activity, Cognitive Activity, and Cognitive Decline in a Biracial Community Population Arch Neurol, November 1, 2005; 62(11): 1750 - 1754. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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L. L. Barnes, C. F. Mendes de Leon, R. S. Wilson, J. L. Bienias, and D. A. Evans Social resources and cognitive decline in a population of older African Americans and whites Neurology, December 28, 2004; 63(12): 2322 - 2326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 R S Wilson, C F Mendes de Leon, D A Bennett, J L Bienias, and D A Evans Depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in a community population of older persons J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, January 1, 2004; 75(1): 126 - 129. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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