Proxy variables of Cognitive Reserve in an Argentine population of older Adults

FELDBERG, C.; STEFANI, D.; TARTAGLINI, M.F.; HERMIDA, P.D.; SOMALE, V.; ALLEGRI, R.

Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Simposio; AAIC Satellite Symposium; 2018

Alzheimer´s Association

Background: The most frequently used cognitive reserve indicators are variables related to life experiences such as education, professional status, intelligence and participation in recreational, cultural, social and cognitive activities. These experiences can influence brain anatomy, promoting neuronal plasticity and improving reserve. In this way, an increase in the frequency of activities of our daily life that involve the use of cognitive resources can prevent the pathology associated with cognitive deterioration. The aim of the present study is to analyze if there is a difference in some of the main variables that structure CR patients with MCI and healthy older adults living in CABA, Argentina.Method: This was a restrospective comparative study of 145 MCI patients (n= 82) (M=76, 74 years old; ds=6.8 years) and healthy older adults (n=63) (M=71.51 years (ds=8.92) Instruments: Questionnaire of Social Demographic Data (built ad hoc), Questionnaire of Social Participation and the Questionnaire on Agency of Labor Activity (CAAL, according to its acronym in Spanish), TAP-R Spanish version.Results: Results reveal that when comparing the groups, statistically significant differences in favor of the group of healthy older adults were found in their involvement in: Education (F(145, 1) = 18.95, p < .001), IQ (F(145, 1) = 17.56 p < .001), Occupational Complexity (F(145, 1) = 3.55, p < .05), Social Activities (F(145, 1) = 3.72, p < .05) , Recreational Activities (F(145, 1) = 3.55, p < .05), Educational Activities (F(145, 1) = 7.09, p < .01) before retirement and in regards with clinical precedents: Treatment for Hypertension =7.54 p < .01, Treatment for Hypercolesterolemiac2 =3.41 p < .05Conclusions: These results agree with other studies which identified the factors that promote healthy cognitive aging in older adults. Within the framework of cognitive reserve, education, IQ, Occupational complexity, participation in social, recreational, and educational activities play a differential and important role in the in the construction of the cognitive reserve throughout the life cycle, also possible indicators of the course of cognitive aging of the subject. The present study coincides with other researches, and adds empirical evidence of interest for the clinical and scientific fields of healthy cognitive ageing.