Examining a Healthy Lifestyle as a Moderator of the Relationship between Psychological Distress and Cognitive Decline among Older Adults in the NuAge Study.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to examine whether a healthy lifestyle composite score of social engagement, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence moderates the association between psychological distress and global cognitive decline among cognitively healthy older adults (67+ years of age at baseline). METHODS: A total of 1,272 cognitively intact older adults (Mage = 74.1 ± 4.1 years, 51.9% female) in the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge) completed a series of self-reported questionnaires to measure psychological distress and lifestyle behaviors, and the Modified Mini-Mental Examination (3MS) to assess cognitive performance at baseline and annually over 3 years. RESULTS: Controlling for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, greater psychological distress was associated with steeper cognitive decline over time among males (B = -0.07, 95% CI: [-0.12, -0.02]), but not females (B = 0.008, 95% CI: [0.03, 0.04]). Although a healthy lifestyle composite score did not statistically significantly moderate the distress-cognition relationship (B = -0.005, 95% CI: [-0.02, 0.01]), there was an association between higher psychological distress and greater cognitive decline at low levels of social engagement (B = -0.05, 95% CI: [-0.09, -0.006]), but not at high levels of social engagement (B = 0.02, 95% CI: [-0.03, 0.07]). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the potentially harmful impact of stress on cognitive function may be malleable through specific healthy lifestyle behaviors and emphasizes the importance of taking a sex-based approach to cognitive aging research.

Understanding the social and leisure needs of lonely and socially isolated older adults living in residential care: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Rates of loneliness and social isolation increase following the transition to residential care and are associated with poor health outcomes. One way to mitigate these experiences is through meaningful recreation, however, there is research to suggest that currently available programming does not meet the needs of lonely and socially isolated residents. Therefore, the objectives of the current study were to investigate: (1) the lived experience of loneliness and social isolation in residential care, (2) engagement and use of available resources by these residents, and (3) insights as to how programming can further address their needs.Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten staff members and 14 residents. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Three themes emerged from the data: (1) Feelings of loneliness and social isolation (subthemes: loneliness and social isolation differ, contributors, and coping strategies), (2) Recreation and social participation (subthemes: program engagement and barriers to participation), and (3) Supporting residents' needs (subthemes: suggestions for meaningful recreation and resources).Conclusion: Loneliness and social isolation are idiographic experiences. Contributors to loneliness and social isolation are also reported as barriers to attending programming. Recommendations are made, many of which rely on greater staffing resources and psychoeducation.

A mixed methods feasibility study of a virtual group-based social support program for older adults in residential care.

OBJECTIVES: In response to calls for inventive ways to mitigate risks of physical distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic for older adults living in residential care, the JAVA Music Club-Digital (JMC-D) was developed. The current feasibility study investigated benefits, usability, and implementation of weekly JMC-D sessions over 6 months. METHOD: Employing a pre-post mixed methods study, depressive symptoms, loneliness, social isolation, and quality of life were measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Qualitative interviews were conducted at 3 months. RESULTS: Twenty-one residents were recruited. Across the three time points there was a large effect for depressive symptoms, social isolation, and quality of life, though not statistically significant. There was a significant immediate increase in happiness following engagement in the JMC-D sessions. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews generated two overarching themes: Experiencing the JMC-D (subthemes: Benefits, Navigating the virtual platform, Feedback) and Considerations for Implementation (subthemes: Perceived purpose, Characteristics that impact the experience, and Infrastructure and resources). CONCLUSION: Findings are encouraging and suggest that the JMC-D may support emotional and other psychosocial indices of wellness in residential care during times of physical distancing. Appropriate staffing, resources, and internet accessibility are important for implementation and uptake.

A Qualitative Study of the Usability and Likability of a Virtual Group-Based Social Support Program for Older Adults in Residential Care.

OBJECTIVES: Despite social engagement being a robust predictor of wellbeing for older adults living in residential care, social programming ceased during the COVID-19 pandemic to abide by social distancing guidelines. Consequently, a tablet-based program called the Java Music Club-Digital (JMC-D) was developed. The JMC-D enables residents to engage with peers through discussion and singing from the safety of their own rooms. This study investigated the likability and usability of the JMC-D for older adults living in residential care and recreation staff. METHODS: Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with seven residents and three recreation coordinators. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: 1) Addressing a need, 2) Factors that affect virtual social connection, and 3) Usability. Interest in future participation in the JMC-D program varied depending on certain personal characteristics including comfort with computers, openness to new experiences, and existing social network. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the JMC-D is likeable and usable for residents and recreation coordinators. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Study findings can be applied by researchers and residential care staff who wish to increase the use of virtual social programs to improve the psychosocial health of residents. Constructive feedback was incorporated into the platform.

Serum ω-3 Fatty Acids and Cognitive Domains in Community-Dwelling Older Adults from the NuAge Study: Exploring the Associations with Other Fatty Acids and Sex.

BACKGROUND: Omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs are suggested to play a role in the prevention of cognitive decline. The evidence may be inconsistent due to methodologic issues, including interrelations with other long-chain (14 or more carbons) fatty acids (LCFAs) and use of sex as a confounding factor rather than an effect modifier. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the association between serum n-3 PUFAs and performance across 4 cognitive domains, overall and by sex, while controlling for other LCFAs. METHODS: In total, 386 healthy older adults (aged 77.4 ± 3.8 y; 53% females) from the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging underwent a cognitive evaluation and blood sampling. Verbal and nonverbal episodic memory, executive functioning, and processing speed were evaluated. Serum LCFA concentrations were measured by gas chromatography. LCFAs were grouped according to standard fatty acid classes and factor analysis using principal component analysis (FA-PCA). Multivariate linear regression models were performed, including unadjusted and adjusted models for other LCFAs. RESULTS: Higher n-3 PUFA concentrations were associated with better nonverbal memory and processing speed in fully adjusted models not including other LCFAs (ßs of 0.21 and 0.19, respectively). The magnitude of these associations varied when other LCFAs were entered in the model (ßs of 0.27 and 0.32, respectively) or when FA-PCA factors were considered (ßs of 0.27 and 0.21, respectively). Associations with verbal episodic memory were limited to higher concentrations of EPA, whereas there was no association between n-3 PUFAs and executive functioning. Higher n-3 PUFAs were associated with better verbal and nonverbal episodic memory in females and with better executive functioning and processing speed in males. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that other LCFAs should be considered when evaluating the association between n-3 PUFAs and cognitive performance in healthy older adults. Sex differences across cognitive domains warrant further investigation.

Do group-based mindfulness meditation programs enhance executive functioning? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence.

Research examining the effects of group-based mindfulness interventions on executive functioning have yielded inconsistent findings, with some reports of enhanced performance and other reports of null findings. Inconsistencies in the literature may be due to methodological differences across studies, including the type of control group employed and sample characteristics (e.g., clinical vs. non-clinical samples). The current systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effect of group-based mindfulness programs on executive functioning in persons 18+ years of age. Following the standards for systematic review, a total of 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis, of which 21 comparisons contributed to the analysis of inhibition; nine to working memory; nine to attention shifting; and four to the analysis of verbal fluency. After removing outliers, random effects models suggested a small but significant synthesized effect of group-mindfulness training on overall executive functioning (95% CI = 0.256, 0.725). Examination of executive subdomains after removing outliers suggested a small, statistically significant effect for inhibition (95% CI = 0.055, 0.387), working memory (95% CI = 0.010, 0.437), and verbal fluency (95% CI = 0.071, 1.931). No significant pooled effects were found for attention shifting. A priori subgroup analysis by randomization, type of control group, and sample cohort revealed inconsistent results. Overall, the current review suggests that the effect of group-based mindfulness training on executive functioning is not robust.

A pilot study implementing the JAVA Music Club in residential care: impact on cognition and psychosocial health.

BACKGROUND: Ninety percent of long-term care (LTC) residents experience some form of cognitive impairment. Social support may benefit cognition by decreasing depressive symptoms and loneliness, which are commonly reported among LTC residents. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the Java Music Club (JMC), a manualized social support program, on cognition and psychosocial health among LTC residents using a pre-post mixed-methods approach. METHODS: The JMC was implemented once a week for twelve weeks. Participants (n = 24, 91.7% female) completed cognitive tasks and psychosocial questionnaires before (T1), after (T2), and twelve weeks following (T3) participation in the JMC. Qualitative interviews were conducted at T2 with participants and recreation coordinators. RESULTS: Analyses showed decreased loneliness from T1 to T2 (t = 3.31, p = .003) and reductions in depressive symptoms (F = 3.459, p = .043) and subjective memory complaints (F = 3.837, p = .048) from T2 to T3. Participants' qualitative interviews (N = 19) illustrate that the JMC was a positive experience that promoted social engagement. Important group elements included the group facilitator and group composition. Possible process elements included social engagement, the opportunity for reminiscence, and the ability of both social interaction and singing to benefit the residents and lift their 'spirits'. Recreation coordinators (N = 3) reported that the group was unlike currently available group programs and increased socialization between residents. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in the JMC may be a promising approach to counter loneliness, depressive symptoms and subjective memory complaints in LTC residents.

Sex differences in the relationship between dietary pattern adherence and cognitive function among older adults: findings from the NuAge study.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity of research examining the relationship between sex-specific dietary patterns and cognitive function in later life. METHODS: The current study aimed to investigate sex differences in the relationship between sex-specific dietary pattern adherence and global cognitive function at baseline and over a 3-year follow-up in 1268 community-dwelling older adults (Mage = 74 years, n = 664 women, n = 612 men) from the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge). A 78-item Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to estimate dietary intake over the previous year. Sex-specific dietary pattern scores were derived using principal component analysis. Global cognition was assessed using the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS). RESULTS: Adjusted linear mixed effects models indicated that a healthy, prudent dietary pattern was not associated with baseline cognitive performance in men or women. No relationship was found between Western dietary pattern adherence and baseline cognitive function in women. Among men, adherence to an unhealthy, Western dietary pattern was associated with poorer baseline cognitive function (ß = - 0.652, p = 0.02, 95% CI [- 1.22, - 0.65]). No association was found between prudent or Western dietary patterns and cognitive change over time in men or women. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of conducting sex-based analyses in aging research and suggest that the relationship between dietary pattern adherence and cognitive function in late life may be sex-dependent.

Association between BDNF Polymorphism and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Activity in Later Adulthood.

Stress exposure over the lifespan is robustly associated with accelerated cognitive decline in later life. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is shown to regulate activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association betweenthe BDNF polymorphism and indices of stress among adults aged 50+. Community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults provided a blood sample for BDNF genotyping. Participants also sampled their saliva 5 times/day for 3 consecutive days for the measurement of diurnal cortisol and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) for the measurement of stress reactivity. Among 121 adults aged 50-67 years (78% female; 89% Caucasian), 74 participants were Val/Val carriers and 47 carried 1 copy of the Met allele. Repeated-measures analyses did not reveal an association between BDNF genotype and diurnal salivary cortisol (p = 0.63); however, analyses revealed that Met+ carriers displayed lower levels of cortisol secretion in response to the TSST compared with Val/Val carriers; F(4.43, 496.238) = 2.57, p = 0.032. This is the first study to evaluate the role of the BDNF polymorphism in stress physiology among older adults. Future studies are needed to evaluate the lifespan interconnections between BDNF and stress physiology.

Mindful aging: The association between trait mindfulness and expectations regarding aging among middle-aged and older adults.

Objectives: Positive Expectations Regarding Aging serve as a protective factor of healthy aging; however, negative stereotypes regarding aging continue to dominate popular aging discourse. It is proposed that trait mindfulness (TM) is associated with aging expectations through the cultivation of openness, curiosity, and non-judgment to one's thoughts, emotions, and sensations, whether they are positive or negative.Methods: Associations between the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (ERA-38) were examined among 201 participants aged 55+ years.Results: Analyses revealed that higher levels of TM was significantly associated with positive aging expectations, controlling for retirement and socioeconomic status ([Formula: see text]= 14.0%, F(5,192) = 7.17, p < .001).Conclusion: The development of TM, notably the facet of non-judgment, may be used to promote positive aging expectations to help support healthy aging.

Measuring Perceived Receipt of Filial Piety among Chinese Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

Filial piety plays an important role in the parent-child relationship in Chinese culture. To date, the majority of studies have focused on filial piety attitudes and expectations from the perspectives of the adult child. With only a few studies examining filial piety from the parent's perspectives, there is a paucity of studies that examines the dimensionality of filial piety receipt. The objective of this study was to validate the Perceived Receipt of Filial Piety Scale (PRFPS), a 10-item questionnaire designed to measure how often Chinese parents perceive their child(ren) engage in filial pious behaviours. A total of 222 middle-aged and older adult Chinese parents (Mage = 67.91, SD = 13.20) completed the PRFPS, MultidimensionalScale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS). A single-factor structure emerged from the developed PRFPS, which demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = .95). The scale was also significantly associated with the MSPSS (r = .50) and QOLS (r = .42), supporting convergent and criterion validity. In conclusion, the PRFPS is found to be a reliable and valid measure of perceived filial piety receipt among Chinese parents. Theoretical implications and suggestions for further scale development and research is discussed.

The association between cognitive fluctuations and activities of daily living and quality of life among institutionalized patients with dementia.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive fluctuations (CFs) occur commonly in dementia of all types. While it is generally accepted that CFs can affect the clinical rating of dementia severity and neuropsychological performance, little is known about their impact on patients' activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life (QOL). Our study aims to explore the impact of CFs on ADLs and QOL among institutionalized patients with dementia. METHODS: The present study examined the nature and frequency of CFs in 55 institutionalized dementia patients. We used the Dementia Cognitive Fluctuation Scale (DCFS) to assess the presence and severity of CFs. The Alzheimer's Disease Functional Assessment of Change Scale (ADFACS) was used to assess patients' ADLs, and the Quality of Life in Late Stage Dementia scale (QUALID) was used to assess QOL. Linear regression models were used to assess the relationships between CFs, ADLs, and QOL. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 90.41 years (SD = 2.84). Their mean Aggressive Behavior Scale score was 1.13 (SD = 1.59), mean Severe Impairment Battery total score was 86.65 (SD = 13.77), and mean DCFS score was 10.07 (SD = 3.04). The mean ADFACS-ADL score was 10.88 (SD = 6.37), mean ADFACS-IADL score was 16.61 (SD = 9.54), and mean QUALID total score was 18.25 (SD = 5.70). DCFS significantly predicted ADFACS-ADL score (R2  = 0.39, ß = 0.30, P = .011) although the relationship between ADFACS-IADL score and DCFS score was not significant (R2  = 0.16, P = .111). DCFS significantly predicted QUALID score (R2  = 0.08, ß = 0.29, P = .033). CONCLUSION: More severe CFs in patients with dementia were significantly associated with impaired ability to engage in ADLs and poorer QOL.

Blood lead levels and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function in middle-aged individuals.

Experimental and epidemiological studies suggested that exposure to lead (Pb) may influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, previous studies have yielded mixed results. We evaluated changes in basal salivary cortisol levels and acute cortisol responsivity to psychological stress in relation with blood Pb levels (BPb), in Caucasian individuals 50-67 years of age. Data were collected through the Study of Genetics, Stress and Cognitive Development (2004-2006). Diurnal basal and stress-reactive salivary cortisol levels were collected and BPb levels were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. A total of 65 participants were included in the current study. General linear mixed models were used to assess the association between BPb level and change in cortisol secretion over time, for diurnal basal pattern and stress-reactive pattern, respectively. The geometric mean BPb was 2.70µg/dL (± 1.44) and two exposure groups were created based on the median value of 2.48µg/dL. No difference in geometric mean of salivary cortisol (µg/dL) at awakening was observed between High and Low BPb groups (0.23 (± 0.11) vs 0.20 (± 0.11), p = 0.36). The overall pattern of change in both diurnal basal (from the awakening to bedtime) and reactive salivary cortisol (during the stress induction protocol) did not differ between groups. In these middle-aged and older adults, we concluded that Pb exposure, within the range observed in the current study, was associated with neither diurnal nor stress-reactive cortisol secretion. Further investigation with larger datasets are needed to confirm our observations.

Impact of informal caregiving on cognitive function and well-being in Canada.

ABSTRACTBackground:With a rise in the aging population and a consequential rise in persons diagnosed with dementia comes an increase in the number of informal caregivers who are caring for a loved one. The objective of the proposed study was to assess the neurocognitive and psychological effects of caring for a person with dementia or a related neurodegenerative disease in a sample of Canadian informal caregivers. METHODS: Fifty-seven informal caregivers of a person with dementia or a related neurodegenerative disease (mean age = 66.26, SD = 7.55) and 97 non-caregivers (mean age = 69.16, SD = 4.84) were recruited. Neuropsychological measures of attention, cognitive flexibility, verbal learning, delayed recall, and verbal fluency were examined, and questionnaires related to perceived stress, quality of life, mood, and self-esteem were administered. RESULTS: Caregivers made more errors on a measure of cognitive flexibility (p = 0.02), generated fewer words on measures of phonemic fluency (p < 0.01) and semantic fluency (p < 0.001), and learned significantly fewer words on a list-learning task (p < 0.01). Caregivers also reported experiencing significantly more perceived stress (p < 0.001), lower quality of life (p < 0.001), and were more likely to meet the cut-off for clinically significant depressive symptoms on a self-report scale (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These data contribute to a growing body of literature that consistently points to the need for immediate action to improve the welfare of caregivers.

A survey of diet self-efficacy and food intake in students with high and low perceived stress.

OBJECTIVE: Given the rise in obesity and obesity-related disorders, understanding the relationship between stress, self-efficacy and food choice in young adulthood may have implications for preventing negative health outcomes later in life that stem from poor eating habits. The current study examined whether stress levels and diet self-efficacy may be associated with unhealthy eating habits in young adults. METHODS: Male and female undergraduate students (N = 136) completed questionnaires that tap into diet self-efficacy (DSE), perceived stress (PS), sodium, and fat intake. Sex differences in choice of food were predicted, and low levels of perceived stress and high diet self-efficacy were expected to be associated with lower fat and sodium intake. RESULTS: Findings indicate an interaction between perceived stress and diet self-efficacy on fat intake and a main effect for diet self-efficacy on sodium intake in this population. As expected, low levels of perceived stress and high diet self-efficacy were associated with the lowest levels of fat and sodium intake in students. Findings were driven by females. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary evidence that diet self-efficacy and perceived stress levels relate to nutrient intake in young adult females, and that increasing diet self-efficacy and reducing perceived stress in young adult females may lead to reductions in fat and sodium intake, leading to healthier eating habits.

Now you see it, now you don't: Testing environments modulate the association between hippocampal volume and cortisol levels in young and older adults.

The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis production of the stress hormone cortisol interacts with the hippocampal formation and impacts memory function. A growing interest is to determine whether hippocampal volume (HV) predicts basal and/or reactive cortisol levels in young and older adults. Recent evidence shows that contextual features in testing environments might be stressful and inadvertently induce a stress response in young and/or older populations. This latter result suggests that variations in testing environments might influence associations between HV and cortisol levels in young and older adults. To this end, we investigated 28 healthy young adults (ages 18-35) and 32 healthy older adults (ages 60-75) in two different environments constructed to be more or less stressful for each age group (Favoring-Young versus Favoring-Old conditions). Cortisol levels were repeatedly assessed in each environment, and young and older participants underwent an anatomical magnetic resonance imaging scan for subsequent assessment of HV. Results in both age groups showed that HV was significantly associated with cortisol levels only in the unfavorable stressful testing conditions specific for each age group. This association was absent when testing environments were designed to decrease stress for each age group. These findings are fundamental in showing that unless the nature of the testing environment is taken into consideration, detected associations between HV and cortisol levels in both young and older populations might be confounded by environmental stress.

Psychological Stress across the Lifespan and Cognitive Function among Older Adults: The Moderating Role of a Healthy Lifestyle.

This study aimed to (a) investigate the associations between indices of stress severity across the lifespan (early, middle, late life) and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults, and (b) examine whether a healthy lifestyle composite score comprised of physical activity, healthy diet adherence, social engagement, sleep quality, and mindful relaxation moderates the associations between lifespan stress severity and cognitive function. Participants (n = 226, Mage = 68.2 ± 6.5, 68.1% female) completed questionnaires to measure stress and lifestyle behaviours, and three online neurocognitive tasks. No direct associations between stress severity and cognition were found. The healthy lifestyle composite score moderated the associations between early, midlife, and late-life stress severity and inhibitory control. Exploratory analyses suggest that this moderating effect may be sex-dependent. Despite study limitations and the need for additional research, findings provide preliminary support for the role of lifestyle behaviours in enhancing older adults' resilience to the effects of stress on cognitive health in a sex-specific manner.

Cumulative Stress Exposure and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults: The Moderating Role of a Healthy Lifestyle.

OBJECTIVES: Although chronic stress is a risk factor for poor age-related cognitive health, there is limited research that has examined how cumulative stress across the lifespan affects cognitive aging. There may also be resilience factors that minimize the effects of cumulative stress on cognitive health. Engaging in a healthy lifestyle is protective against cognitive decline and may therefore interact with cumulative stress to buffer the stress-cognition relationship. The objective of the current study was to examine the moderating role of a healthy lifestyle, comprised of physical activity, social engagement, and sleep quality, in the relationship between cumulative stress exposure (CSE) and baseline and change in cognitive performance (global cognition, episodic memory, executive function) over 9 years among 1,297 older adults in the Midlife in the United States cohort (Mage = 69.0 ± 6.4, 57.8% female). METHODS: CSE and healthy lifestyle behaviors were indexed using self-reported questionnaires at baseline, and cognitive function was assessed using a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS: Controlling for age, sex, education, race, marital status, employment status, hypertension, diabetes, and depression, higher CSE was associated with poorer baseline performance and slower decline over time in global cognition and executive function, but not episodic memory. A healthy lifestyle did not significantly moderate the relationship between cumulative stress and cognitive function. Exploratory analyses showed a significant cumulative stress-cognition relationship among females only. DISCUSSION: This study lends support for a lifespan model of cognitive aging and suggests that the cognitive health consequences of stress extend beyond immediate timescales.

Neuroticism and Stress in Older Adults: The Buffering Role of Self-Esteem.

BACKGROUND: Chronic stress is associated with accelerated aging and poor health outcomes in older adults. According to the Transactional Model of Stress (TMS), distress is experienced when one perceives the stressor, or threat, to outweigh the ability to cope. The experience of distress is correlated with trait neuroticism, which is associated with greater perceptions of stress and stress reactivity, as well as a tendency to engage in maladaptive coping strategies. However, as individual personality traits do not act in isolation, this study aimed to investigate the moderating role of self-esteem in the relationship between neuroticism and distress using a TMS framework. METHODS: A total of 201 healthy older adults (Mage = 68.65 years) completed questionnaires measuring self-esteem, neuroticism, perceived stress, and positive coping. RESULTS: Greater neuroticism was significantly associated with less positive coping at low (b = -0.02, p < 0.001) and mean self-esteem levels (b = -0.01, p < 0.001), but not at high self-esteem levels (b = -0.01, p = 0.06). No moderating effect was found for perceived stress or overall distress. CONCLUSION: The results support the association between trait neuroticism and indices of stress and suggest a potential buffering effect of self-esteem in moderating the negative association between neuroticism and positive coping.

Nutrition risk and cognitive performance in community-living older adults without cognitive impairment: a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Malnutrition is correlated with poor cognition; however, an understanding of the association between nutrition risk, which precedes malnutrition, and cognition is lacking. This study aimed to determine if nutrition risk measured with the SCREEN-8 tool is associated with cognitive performance among cognitively healthy adults aged 55+, after adjusting for demographic and lifestyle covariates. Sex- and age-stratified analyses were also explored. Baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging was used. Cognition was determined using a 6-measure composite score based on four executive functions and two memory tasks, taking into account age, sex, and education. Multivariable linear regression was performed while adjusting for body mass index (BMI), lifestyle, and health covariates in the entire sample (n = 11 378) and then stratified by sex and age. Approximately half of participants were female (54.5%) aged 65+ (54.1%). Greater nutrition risk was associated with poorer cognitive performance in the entire sample (F[1, 11 368] = 5.36, p = 0.021) and among participants aged 55-64 (n = 5227; F[1, 5217] = 5.45, p = 0.020). Sex differences in lifestyle and health factors associated with cognition were apparent, but nutrition risk was not associated with cognition in sex-stratified models. Based on this analysis, there may be an association between nutrition risk and cognitive performance in older adults. When screening for either cognitive impairment or nutrition risk, complementary assessments for these conditions is warranted, as early intervention may provide benefit.