Journal article
Sending Your Grandparents to University Increases Cognitive Reserve: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project
Neuropsychology, Vol.30(5), pp.525-531
2016
Abstract
Objective: Increasing an individual's level of cognitive reserve (CR) has been suggested as a nonpharmacological approach to reducing the risk for Alzheimer's disease. We examined changes in CR in older adults participating over 4 years in the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project. Method: A sample of 459 healthy older adults between 50 and 79 years of age underwent a comprehensive annual assessment of current CR, neuropsychological function, and psychosocial factors over a 4-year period. The intervention group of 359 older adults (M = 59.61 years, SD = 6.67) having completed a minimum of 12 months part-time university study were compared against a control reference group of 100 adults (M = 62.49 years, SD = 6.24) who did not engage in further education. Results: Growth mixture modeling demonstrated that 44.3% of the control sample showed no change in CR, whereas 92.5% of the further education participants displayed a significant linear increase in CR over the 4 years of the study. These results indicate that older adults engaging in high-level mental stimulation display an increase in CR over a 4-year period. Conclusion: Increasing mental activity in older adulthood may be a viable strategy to improve cognitive function and offset cognitive decline associated with normal aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
Details
- Title
- Sending Your Grandparents to University Increases Cognitive Reserve: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project
- Authors
- Megan E Lenehan (Author) - University of TasmaniaMathew J Summers (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts and BusinessNichole L Saunders (Author) - University of TasmaniaJeffery J Summers (Author) - University of TasmaniaDavid D Ward (Author) - University of TasmaniaKaren Ritchie (Author) - INSERM, FranceJames C Vickers (Author) - University of Tasmania
- Publication details
- Neuropsychology, Vol.30(5), pp.525-531
- Publisher
- American Psychological Association
- Date published
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1037/neu0000249
- ISSN
- 0894-4105
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2016 American Psychological Assocation. Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health - Psychology; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450181302621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Neurosciences
- Psychology
- Psychology, Clinical
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