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1.
Sci Bull (Beijing) ; 2024 Apr 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38664095

ABSTRACT

Brain aging is typically associated with a significant decline in cognitive performance. Vascular risk factors (VRF) and subsequent atherosclerosis (AS) play a major role in this process. Brain resilience reflects the brain's ability to withstand external perturbations, but the relationship of brain resilience with cognition during the aging process remains unclear. Here, we investigated how brain topological resilience (BTR) is associated with cognitive performance in the face of aging and vascular risk factors. We used data from two cross-ethnicity community cohorts, PolyvasculaR Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and Vascular Events (PRECISE, n = 2220) and Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS, n = 246). We conducted an attack simulation on brain structural networks based on k-shell decomposition and node degree centrality. BTR was defined based on changes in the size of the largest subgroup of the network during the simulation process. Subsequently, we explored the negative correlations of BTR with age, VRF, and AS, and its positive correlation with cognitive performance. Furthermore, using structural equation modeling (SEM), we constructed path models to analyze the directional dependencies among these variables, demonstrating that aging, AS, and VRF affect cognition by disrupting BTR. Our results also indicated the specificity of this metric, independent of brain volume. Overall, these findings underscore the supportive role of BTR on cognition during aging and highlight its potential application as an imaging marker for objective assessment of brain cognitive performance.

2.
Alzheimers Dement (Amst) ; 16(1): e12567, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38487075

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are an important imaging marker for cerebral small vessel diseases, but their risk factors and cognitive associations have not been well documented in populations of different ethnicities and/or from different geographical regions. METHODS: We investigated how WMHs were associated with vascular risk factors and cognition in both Whites and Asians, using data from five population-based cohorts of non-demented older individuals from Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and Sweden (N = 1946). WMH volumes (whole brain, periventricular, and deep) were quantified with UBO Detector and harmonized using the ComBat model. We also harmonized various vascular risk factors and scores for global cognition and individual cognitive domains. RESULTS: Factors associated with larger whole brain WMH volumes included diabetes, hypertension, stroke, current smoking, body mass index, higher alcohol intake, and insufficient physical activity. Hypertension and stroke had stronger associations with WMH volumes in Whites than in Asians. No associations between WMH volumes and cognitive performance were found after correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSION: The current study highlights ethnic differences in the contributions of vascular risk factors to WMHs.

3.
Alzheimers Res Ther ; 16(1): 14, 2024 01 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38245754

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Uncovering the functional relevance underlying verbal declarative memory (VDM) genome-wide association study (GWAS) results may facilitate the development of interventions to reduce age-related memory decline and dementia. METHODS: We performed multi-omics and pathway enrichment analyses of paragraph (PAR-dr) and word list (WL-dr) delayed recall GWAS from 29,076 older non-demented individuals of European descent. We assessed the relationship between single-variant associations and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in 44 tissues and methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs) in the hippocampus. We determined the relationship between gene associations and transcript levels in 53 tissues, annotation as immune genes, and regulation by transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs. To identify significant pathways, gene set enrichment was tested in each cohort and meta-analyzed across cohorts. Analyses of differential expression in brain tissues were conducted for pathway component genes. RESULTS: The single-variant associations of VDM showed significant linkage disequilibrium (LD) with eQTLs across all tissues and meQTLs within the hippocampus. Stronger WL-dr gene associations correlated with reduced expression in four brain tissues, including the hippocampus. More robust PAR-dr and/or WL-dr gene associations were intricately linked with immunity and were influenced by 31 TFs and 2 microRNAs. Six pathways, including type I diabetes, exhibited significant associations with both PAR-dr and WL-dr. These pathways included fifteen MHC genes intricately linked to VDM performance, showing diverse expression patterns based on cognitive status in brain tissues. CONCLUSIONS: VDM genetic associations influence expression regulation via eQTLs and meQTLs. The involvement of TFs, microRNAs, MHC genes, and immune-related pathways contributes to VDM performance in older individuals.


Subject(s)
Genome-Wide Association Study , MicroRNAs , Humans , Aged , Genome-Wide Association Study/methods , Multiomics , Memory , Cognition , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics
4.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36852741

ABSTRACT

Cognitive, social, and physical activities, collectively linked to cognitive reserve, are associated with better late-life cognitive outcomes. To better understand the building of cognitive reserve, we investigated which of these activities, during which stages of life, had the strongest associations with late-life cognitive performance. From the Sydney Memory and Aging Study, 546 older Australians, who were community-dwelling and without a dementia diagnosis at recruitment (Mage 80.13 years, 52.2% female), were asked about their engagement in social, physical, and cognitive activities throughout young adulthood (YA), midlife (ML), and late-life (LL). Comprehensive neuropsychological testing administered biennially over 6 years measured baseline global cognition and cognitive decline. In our study, YA, but not ML nor LL, cognitive activity was significantly associated with late-life global cognition (ß = 0.315, p < .001). A follow-up analysis pointed to the formal education component of the YA cognitive activity measure, rather than YA cognitive leisure activities, as a significant predictor of better late-life global cognition (ß = 0.146, p = .003). YA social activity and LL cognitive activity were significantly associated with less cognitive decline (ß = 0.023, p < .001, and ß = 0.016, p = .022, respectively). Physical activity was not found to be associated with global cognition or cognitive decline. Overall, YA cognitive activity was associated with better late-life cognition, and YA social and LL cognitive activities were associated with less cognitive decline. Formal education emerges as the key contributor in the association between YA cognitive activity and late-life global cognition.


Subject(s)
Aging , Cognitive Dysfunction , Cognitive Reserve , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Aging/psychology , Australasian People , Australia , Cognition , Cohort Studies
5.
Psychogeriatrics ; 24(2): 259-271, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38131467

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is the most widely used standardised screener for impairments across a range of cognitive domains. However, the degree to which its domains (orientation, registration, attention, recall, language, and visuospatial) capture cognitive functioning measured using standardised neuropsychological tests is unclear. METHOD: A longitudinal research design with four biannual assessments over a 6-year period was used with an initial sample of 1037 older adults (aged above 70 years). Participants completed MMSE and neuropsychological tests at each assessment. Network analysis was utilised to investigate unique associations among the MMSE and its domains and neuropsychological test performance at each time point. RESULTS: The total MMSE and two of its domains, language and recall, were associated with neuropsychological memory performance. The MMSE orientation, registration and visuospatial domains did not have any unique associations with neuropsychological performance. No stable internal interconnections between MMSE domains were found over time. The association of total MMSE as well as its recall domain with neuropsychological memory performance remained very similar over the 6-year period. CONCLUSIONS: The present study adds evidence to the validity of the MMSE and supports the clinical usage of the MMSE, whereby the total score is used for screening patients with or without cognitive impairments, with repeated administration to monitor cognitive changes over time, to inform intervention. However, the tool is not able to diagnose the cases for changes in specific cognitive domains and as such, should not replace a complete neuropsychological assessment.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders , Cognitive Dysfunction , Humans , Aged , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Mental Status and Dementia Tests , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition , Neuropsychological Tests
6.
medRxiv ; 2023 Aug 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37693599

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are an important imaging marker for cerebral small vessel diseases, but their risk factors and cognitive associations have not been well-documented in populations of different ethnicities and/or from different geographical regions. METHOD: Magnetic resonance imaging data of five population-based cohorts of non-demented older individuals from Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and Sweden (N = 1,946) were examined for WMH and their associations with vascular risk factors and cognition. RESULT: Factors associated with larger whole brain WMH volumes included diabetes, hypertension, stroke, current smoking, body mass index, higher alcohol intake and insufficient physical activity. Participants with moderate or higher physical activity had less WMH than those who never exercised, but the former two groups did not differ. Hypertension and stroke had stronger associations with WMH volumes in the White, compared to Asian subsample. DISCUSSION: The current study highlighted the ethnic differences in the contributions of vascular risk factors to WMH.

7.
J Psychiatr Res ; 162: 113-122, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37148602

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that lifestyle activities impact cognitive and mental health in older populations. However, how lifestyle factors are associated with one another, and which factors are most important for cognitive function and mental health has received comparatively little attention. DESIGN: Bayesian-Gaussian network analysis was used to investigate unique associations between mental activities (MA; i.e., activities involving cognitive engagement), global cognition, and depression at three time-points in a large sample of older adults (baseline, 2 years, and 4 years follow-up). SETTING: This study used longitudinal data from participants living in Australia and participating in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 998 participants (55% female) aged between 70 and 90, without a diagnosis of dementia at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Neuropsychological assessment of global cognition, self-reported depressive symptoms, and self-reported information about daily MA. RESULTS: Cognitive functioning was positively associated with playing tabletop games and using the internet in both sexes at all time-points. MA were differentially linked in men and women. Depression was not consistently associated with MA in men across the three time-points; women who visited artistic events consistently had lower depression scores. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging with tabletop games and using the internet was associated with better cognition in both sexes, however sex acted as a modifier for other associations. These findings are useful for future investigations that consider interactive associations between MA, cognition, and mental health in older adults, and their possible roles in promoting healthy aging.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Healthy Aging , Male , Humans , Female , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Bayes Theorem , Cognition , Aging/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests , Longitudinal Studies , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis
8.
Psychiatry Clin Neurosci ; 77(8): 449-456, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37165609

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Parental history of dementia appears to increase the risk of dementia, but there have been inconsistent results. We aimed to investigate whether the association between parental history of dementia and the risk of dementia are different by dementia subtypes and sex of parent and offspring. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, we harmonized and pooled data for 17,194 older adults from nine population-based cohorts of eight countries. These studies conducted face-to-face diagnostic interviews, physical and neurological examinations, and neuropsychological assessments to diagnose dementia. We investigated the associations of maternal and paternal history of dementia with the risk of dementia and its subtypes in offspring. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 72.8 ± 7.9 years and 59.2% were female. Parental history of dementia was associated with higher risk of dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15-1.86) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.31-2.26), but not with the risk of non-AD. This was largely driven by maternal history of dementia, which was associated with the risk of dementia (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.15-1.97) and AD (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.33-2.43) whereas paternal history of dementia was not. These results remained significant when males and females were analyzed separately (OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.28-3.55 in males; OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.16-2.44 for females). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal history of dementia was associated with the risk of dementia and AD in both males and females. Maternal history of dementia may be a useful marker for identifying individuals at higher risk of AD and stratifying the risk for AD in clinical trials.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Male , Humans , Female , Aged , Middle Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy , Parents
9.
Eur J Clin Invest ; 53(9): e14016, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37191060

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M) is a widely used tool for assessing global cognitive functions and screening for cognitive impairments. The tool was conceptualised to capture various cognitive domains, but the validity of such domains has not been investigated against comprehensive neuropsychological assessments tools. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the associations between the TICS-M domains and neuropsychological domains to evaluate the validity of the TICS-M domains using network analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A longitudinal research design was used with a large sample of older adults (aged above 70 years; n = 1037 at the baseline assessment) who completed the TICS-M and comprehensive neuropsychological assessments biennially. We applied network analysis to identify unique links between the TICS-M domains and neuropsychological test scores. RESULTS: At baseline, there were weak internal links between the TICS-M domains. The TICS-M memory and language domains were significantly related to their corresponding neuropsychological domains. The TICS-M attention domain had significant associations with executive function and visuospatial abilities. The TICS-M orientation domain was not significantly associated with any of the five neuropsychological domains. Despite an attrition of almost 50% at wave four, weak internal links between the TICS-M domains and most associations between TICS-M and neuropsychological domains that were found initially, remained stable at least over two waves within the 6-year period. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the overall structural validity of the TICS-M screener in assessing enduring global cognitive function. However, separate TICS-M cognitive domains should not be considered equivalent to the analogous neuropsychological domains.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders , Cognitive Dysfunction , Humans , Aged , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Neuropsychological Tests , Cognition , Telephone
10.
Psychol Assess ; 35(7): 559-571, 2023 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37227840

ABSTRACT

The Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified (TICS-M) is a well-established and widely used screening instrument for dementia and assessment of global cognitive function in older people. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the TICS-M and to enhance the accuracy of the instrument using Rasch methodology. Partial Credit Rasch model was applied to the TICS-M scores. The sample selected for Rasch analysis consisted of 432 participants aged 70-90 years (M = 78.85, SD = 4.73) including 195 males (237 females), and 132 (30.56%) of whom were diagnosed with dementia after the baseline assessment. Initial analysis indicated good reliability of the TICS-M assessment scores, but there were three misfitting items and local dependency issues. Combining locally dependent and misfitting items into super-items achieved the best Rasch model fit for the TICS-M. This modification improved reliability of the assessment scores and resulted in no misfitting items, no local dependency, strict unidimensionality, and invariance across individual factors such as participants age, sex, diagnosis, and in-person neuropsychological assessment scores. Satisfying Rasch model expectations allowed for creation of a transformation table to convert raw TICS-M scores into interval-level data, which improves precision of the instrument. In summary, the TICS-M assessment scores demonstrated excellent reliability as reflected by Person Separation Index (PSI = 0.86) and met expectations of the unidimensional Rasch model after minor adjustments. The ordinal-to-interval transformation table can be used to increase accuracy of the TICS-M without altering its current format. These findings contribute to more accurate assessments of cognitive decline in older people and screening for conditions such as dementia. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Dementia , Male , Female , Humans , Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Cognition , Psychometrics , Telephone , Surveys and Questionnaires
11.
Front Aging Neurosci ; 15: 1044807, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36891557

ABSTRACT

Background: Individuals with subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) are at an increased risk of dementia. Questions remain about participant-reported versus informant-reported SCCs as indicators of future dementia and about longitudinal changes in participant-and informant-reported SCCs and risk of incident dementia. Method: Participants were 873 older adults (M = 78.65-years; 55% female) and 849 informants from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. Comprehensive assessments occurred biennially, and clinical diagnoses were made by expert consensus for 10-years. SCCs were participants' and informants' responses to a single binary question concerning their/the participant's memory decline (Yes/No) over the first 6-years. Categorical latent growth curve analyses, using the logit transformation, were used to model SCC change over time. Associations of initial propensity to report SCCs at baseline, and change in propensity to report SCCs over time, with dementia risk were examined using Cox regression. Results: 70% of participants reported SCCs at baseline, with a proportional increase in the odds of reporting by 11% for each additional year in the study. In contrast, 22% of informants reported SCCs at baseline, with a proportional increase by 30% in the odds of reporting per year. Participants' initial level of (p = 0.007), but not change in SCC reporting (p = 0.179), was associated with risk of dementia controlling for all covariates. Both informants' initial level of (p < 0.001), and change in (p < 0.001), SCCs significantly predicted incident dementia. When modelled together, informants' initial level of, and change in, SCCs were still independently associated with increased dementia risk (p's < 0.001). Conclusion: These data suggest that informants' initial impressions, and increased reporting, of SCCs appear to be uniquely prognostic of future dementia compared to participants', even based on a single SCC question.

12.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci ; 78(12): 2396-2406, 2023 12 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36975099

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Few studies have compared gait speed and its correlates among different ethnogeographic regions. The goals of this study were to describe usual and rapid gait speed, and identify their correlates across Australian, Asian, and African countries. METHODS: We used data from 6 population-based cohorts of adults aged 65+ from 6 countries and 3 continents (N = 6 472), with samples ranging from 231 to 1 913. All cohorts are members of the Cohort Studies of Memory in an International Consortium collaboration. We investigated whether clinical (body mass index [BMI], hypertension, stroke, apolipoprotein status), psychological (cognition, mood, general health), and behavioral factors (smoking, drinking, physical activity) correlated with usual (N = 4 cohorts) and rapid gait speed (N = 3 cohorts) similarly across cohorts. Regression models were controlled for age, sex, and education, and were sex-stratified. RESULTS: Age- and sex-standardized usual gait speed means ranged from 0.61 to 1.06 m/s and rapid gait speed means ranged from 1.16 to 1.64 m/s. Lower BMI and better cognitive function consistently correlated with faster gait speed in all cohorts. Less consistently, not having hypertension and greater physical activity engagement were associated with faster gait speed. Associations with mood, smoking, and drinking were largely nonsignificant. These patterns were not attenuated by demographics. There was limited evidence that the associations differed by sex, except physical activity, where the greater intensity was associated with usual gait among men but not women. CONCLUSIONS: This study is among the first to describe the usual and rapid gait speeds across older adults in Africa, Asia, and Australia.


Subject(s)
Hypertension , Walking Speed , Male , Humans , Aged , Australia/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Gait
13.
Psychogeriatrics ; 23(3): 411-421, 2023 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36781176

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The 16-item Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE-16) is a well-validated and widely-used measure of cognitive changes (CCs) among older adults. This study aimed to use Rasch methodology to establish psychometric properties of the IQCODE-16 and validate the existing ordinal-to-interval transformation algorithms across multiple large samples. METHODS: A Partial Credit Rasch model was employed to examine psychometric properties of the IQCODE-16 using data (n = 918) from two longitudinal studies of participants aged 57-99 years: the Older Australian Twins Study (n = 450) and the Canberra Longitudinal Study (n = 468), and reusing the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS) sample (n = 400). RESULTS: Initial analyses indicated good reliability for the IQCODE-16 (Person Separation Index range: 0.82-0.90). However, local dependency was identified between items, with several items showing misfit to the model. Replicating the existing Rasch solution could not reproduce the best Rasch model fit for all samples. Combining locally dependent items into three testlets resolved all misfit and local dependency issues and resulted in the best Rasch model fit for all samples with evidence of unidimensionality, strong reliability, and invariance across person factors. Accordingly, new ordinal-to-interval transformation algorithms were produced to convert the IQCODE-16 ordinal scores into interval data to improve the accuracy of its scores. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support the reliability and validity of the IQCODE-16 in measuring CCs among older adults. New ordinal-to-interval conversion tables generated using samples from multiple independent datasets are more generalizable and can be used to enhance the precision of the IQCODE-16 without changing its original format. An easy-to-use converter has been made available for clinical and research use.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Aged , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Reproducibility of Results , Australia , Surveys and Questionnaires , Psychometrics
14.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci ; 78(5): 819-829, 2023 05 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36800266

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to test whether prospective memory (PM) was an early cognitive marker of future cognitive decline and incident dementia using longitudinal data spanning 8 years from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. METHODS: At baseline, 121 participants aged 72-91 years were tested in PM using a validated PM task, Virtual Week, which included time- and event-based tasks presented with varying regularity. Responses were scored "Correct" if completed accurately and "Missed" if the target was not remembered at any time. Measures of cognition were taken at baseline and 2-year intervals over 8 years. Dementia diagnoses were made by expert consensus panels using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria. Linear mixed models and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyze the data, controlling for potential confounds. RESULTS: Both decreased PM accuracy and missed PM responses were associated with rate of cognitive decline measured by Mini-Mental State Examination over 8 years and global cognitive decline over 4 years. Risk of incident dementia increased with poorer baseline PM ability and missed responses. These effects remained significant after controlling for baseline cognition and were strongest for event-based and regular PM tasks. DISCUSSION: PM is a sensitive early marker of future cognitive decline and risk of incident dementia. PM tasks supported by spontaneous retrieval (event-based) and those with lower retrospective memory demands (regular tasks) function as particularly sensitive predictors. In other words, deficits in performing less effortful PM tasks best predicted cognitive decline. These findings may encourage clinicians to incorporate PM tasks in clinical assessments.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Dementia , Memory, Episodic , Humans , Dementia/diagnosis , Dementia/epidemiology , Dementia/psychology , Retrospective Studies , Neuropsychological Tests , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Cognitive Dysfunction/epidemiology , Cognitive Dysfunction/psychology , Cognition , Memory Disorders/diagnosis
15.
Alzheimers Dement ; 19(6): 2265-2275, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36453627

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: There are limited data on prevalence of dementia in centenarians and near-centenarians (C/NC), its determinants, and whether the risk of dementia continues to rise beyond 100. METHODS: Participant-level data were obtained from 18 community-based studies (N = 4427) in 11 countries that included individuals ≥95 years. A harmonization protocol was applied to cognitive and functional impairments, and a meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: The mean age was 98.3 years (SD = 2.67); 79% were women. After adjusting for age, sex, and education, dementia prevalence was 53.2% in women and 45.5% in men, with risk continuing to increase with age. Education (OR 0.95;0.92-0.98) was protective, as was hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 0.51;0.35-0.74) in five studies. Dementia was not associated with diabetes, vision and hearing impairments, smoking, and body mass index (BMI). DISCUSSION: Among the exceptional old, dementia prevalence remains higher in the older participants. Education was protective against dementia, but other factors for dementia-free survival in C/NC remain to be understood.


Subject(s)
Centenarians , Cognition , Male , Aged, 80 and over , Humans , Female , Body Mass Index , Educational Status
16.
Assessment ; 30(6): 1870-1883, 2023 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36210740

ABSTRACT

Empathy is a core component of social cognition that can be indexed via behavioral, informant-report, or self-report methods of assessment. However, concerns have been raised regarding the lack of convergence between these assessment approaches for cognitive empathy. Here, we provided the first comparison of all three measurement approaches for cognitive and affective empathy in a large adult sample (N = 371) aged 18 to 101 years. We found that poor convergence was more of a problem for cognitive empathy than affective empathy. While none of the cognitive empathy measures correlated with each other, for affective empathy, self-report was significantly associated with both behavioral and informant-report assessments. However, for both cognitive and affective empathy, there was evidence for poor discriminant validity within the measures. Out of the three assessment approaches, only the informant-report measures were consistently associated with indices of social functioning. Importantly, age did not moderate any of the tested relationships, indicating that both the strengths and the limitations of these different types of assessment do not appear to vary as a function of age. These findings highlight the variation that exists among empathy measures and are discussed in relation to their practical implications for the assessment of empathy.


Subject(s)
Empathy , Longevity , Humans , Adult , Cognition , Self Report , Social Adjustment
17.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci ; 78(1): 62-72, 2023 01 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35985278

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Normal adult aging is associated with changes in social cognition. Although 4 social cognitive domains have been identified (social perception, theory of mind [ToM], affective empathy, and social behavior), no study has tested all 4 domains concurrently in a life-span sample, limiting understanding of the relative magnitude of age-related changes across domains. This study addresses this gap by providing the first assessment of all 4 social cognitive domains in an adult life-span sample. METHODS: Three hundred and seventy-two participants ranging from 18 to 101 years of age took part in this study. Participants completed a testing battery that assessed social perception, ToM, affective empathy, and social behavior, as well as broader cognitive function and well-being. RESULTS: The results showed that adult aging is associated with multidirectional changes in social cognitive abilities, with ToM and social perception showing nonlinear decline across much of the life-span, and affective empathy and social behavior showing improvement. Age remained a significant predictor of all 4 social cognitive domains, even after accounting for broader cognitive function. Weak associations emerged between some of the social cognitive abilities and and indices of broader well-being. DISCUSSION: These findings provide novel and important evidence that normative aging is associated with both gains and losses in social cognition that occur at distinct points of the adult life-span, and that are at least partially independent of general age-related cognitive decline.


Subject(s)
Social Cognition , Theory of Mind , Humans , Adult , Cognition , Aging , Empathy , Social Behavior , Neuropsychological Tests
18.
Cereb Cortex ; 33(8): 4688-4698, 2023 04 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36178117

ABSTRACT

The nondemented old-old over the age of 80 comprise a rapidly increasing population group; they can be regarded as exemplars of successful aging. However, our current understanding of successful aging in advanced age and its neural underpinnings is limited. In this study, we measured the microstructural and network-based topological properties of brain white matter using diffusion-weighted imaging scans of 419 community-dwelling nondemented older participants. The participants were further divided into 230 young-old (between 72 and 79, mean = 76.25 ± 2.00) and 219 old-old (between 80 and 92, mean = 83.98 ± 2.97). Results showed that white matter connectivity in microstructure and brain networks significantly declined with increased age and that the declined rates were faster in the old-old compared with young-old. Mediation models indicated that cognitive decline was in part through the age effect on the white matter connectivity in the old-old but not in the young-old. Machine learning predictive models further supported the crucial role of declines in white matter connectivity as a neural substrate of cognitive aging in the nondemented older population. Our findings shed new light on white matter connectivity in the nondemented aging brains and may contribute to uncovering the neural substrates of successful brain aging.


Subject(s)
White Matter , Humans , White Matter/diagnostic imaging , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Aging/psychology , Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Brain Mapping
20.
J Alzheimers Dis ; 90(4): 1629-1645, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36314208

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Self-administered computerized neuropsychological assessments (CNAs) provide lower cost, more accessible alternatives to traditional in-person assessments but lack critical information on psychometrics and subjective experience of older adults in remote testing environments. OBJECTIVE: We used an online brief battery of computerized tasks selected from the Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB) and Cambridge Brain Sciences (CBS) to 1) determine test-retest reliability in an unsupervised setting; 2) examine convergent validity with a comprehensive 'gold standard' paper-and-pencil neuropsychological test battery administered in-person; and 3) explore user-experience of remote computerized testing and individual tests. METHODS: Fifty-two participants (mean age 65.8±5.7 years) completed CBB and CBS tests on their own computer, unsupervised from home, on three occasions, and visited a research center for an in-person paper-and-pencil assessment. They also completed a user-experience questionnaire. RESULTS: Test-retest reliabilities varied for individual measures (ICCs = 0.20 to 0.83). Global cognition composites showed excellent reliability (ICCs > 0.8 over 1-month follow-up). A strong relationship between a combination of CNA measures and paper-and-pencil battery was found (canonical correlation R = 0.87, p = 0.04). Most tests were rated as enjoyable with easy-to-understand instructions. Ratings of general experience with online testing were mostly favorable; few had difficulty concentrating (17%) or using the computer for tasks (10%), although over one-third experienced performance anxiety (38%). CONCLUSION: A combined brief online battery selected from two CNAs demonstrated robust psychometric standards for reliability (global composite), and convergent validity with a gold standard battery, and mostly good usability and acceptability in the remote testing environment.


Subject(s)
Cognition , Computers , Humans , Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Neuropsychological Tests , Psychometrics
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