Vision and hearing difficulty and effects of cognitive training in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive training is delivered visually and aurally. It is unknown whether self-reported sensory difficulty modifies the effects of cognitive training on cognition. METHODS: Participants (N = 2788) in the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly Study were randomized to training in memory, reasoning, speed of processing, or control. Differences in the 10-year effect of cognitive training on cognition by self-reported vision and hearing difficulty were assessed using linear mixed effect models. RESULTS: Benefit (intervention vs. control) of reasoning training was smaller among participants with versus without vision difficulty (difficulty: -0.25, 95% confidence interval: [-0.88, 0.39], no difficulty: 0.58 [0.28, 0.89]). Benefit of memory training was greater for participants with versus without hearing difficulty (difficulty: 0.17 [-0.37, 0.72], no difficulty: -0.20 [-0.65, 0.24]). DISCUSSION: Older adults with sensory loss have increased risk for cognitive decline; benefits of cognitive training may be greater for these individuals. Sensory loss should be considered in training design. Highlights: Memory training was more beneficial for participants with hearing loss.Participants with vision difficulties did not benefit as much from reasoning training.Low accessibility in design and learned compensation strategies may contribute.Consideration of sensory impairment in study design is needed.Inclusion of older adults with sensory impairment in cognitive training is needed.

Hearing and vision impairment and social isolation over 8 years in community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the long-term impact of hearing and vision impairment on social isolation. This study quantifies the association between hearing, vision, and concurrent hearing and vision impairment (dual sensory impairment) and social isolation over 8 years among older adults. METHODS: Data were from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a cohort study (2011 - 2019) of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older. Social isolation was measured by a binary indicator incorporating four domains: living arrangement, core discussion network size, religious attendance, and social participation. Hearing, vision, and dual sensory impairments were measured by self-report and modeled categorically (no impairment [ref.], hearing impairment only, vision impairment only, dual sensory impairment). Associations between sensory impairments and odds of social isolation over 8 years were assessed using multivariate generalized logistic mixed models and adjusted for demographic and health characteristics. RESULTS: Among 5,552 participants, 18.9% self-reported hearing impairment, 4.8% self-reported vision impairment, and 2.3% self-reported dual sensory impairment. Over 8 years, hearing impairment only was associated with 28% greater odds of social isolation. Participants with hearing impairment only were more likely to live alone and have limited social participation. CONCLUSION: Greater clinical awareness of hearing impairment as a risk factor for social isolation can increase opportunities to identify and aid older adults who may benefit from resources and interventions to increase social connection and mitigate social isolation.

Recruitment and baseline data of the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study: A randomized trial of a hearing loss intervention for reducing cognitive decline.

INTRODUCTION: Hearing loss is highly prevalent among older adults and independently associated with cognitive decline. The Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study is a multicenter randomized control trial (partially nested within the infrastructure of an observational cohort study, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities [ARIC] study) to determine the efficacy of best-practice hearing treatment to reduce cognitive decline over 3 years. The goal of this paper is to describe the recruitment process and baseline results. METHODS: Multiple strategies were used to recruit community-dwelling 70-84-year-old participants with adult-onset hearing loss who were free of substantial cognitive impairment from the parent ARIC study and de novo from the surrounding communities into the trial. Participants completed telephone screening, an in-person hearing, vision, and cognitive screening, and a comprehensive hearing assessment to determine eligibility. RESULTS: Over a 24-month period, 3004 telephone screenings resulted in 2344 in-person hearing, vision, and cognition screenings and 1294 comprehensive hearing screenings. Among 1102 eligible, 977 were randomized into the trial (median age = 76.4 years; 53.5% female; 87.8% White; 53.3% held a Bachelor's degree or higher). Participants recruited through the ARIC study were recruited much earlier and were less likely to report hearing loss interfered with their quality of life relative to participants recruited de novo from the community. Minor differences in baseline hearing or health characteristics were found by recruitment route (i.e., ARIC study or de novo) and by study site. DISCUSSION: The ACHIEVE study successfully completed enrollment over 2 years that met originally projected rates of recruitment. Substantial operational and scientific efficiencies during study startup were achieved through embedding this trial within the infrastructure of a longstanding and well-established observational study. Highlights: The ACHIEVE study tests the effect of hearing intervention on cognitive decline.The study is partially nested within an existing cohort study.Over 2 years, 977 participants recruited and enrolled.Eligibility assessed by telephone and in-person for hearing, vision, and cognitive screening.The ACHIEVE study findings will have significant public health implications.

Description of the Baseline Audiologic Characteristics of the Participants Enrolled in the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders Study.

PURPOSE: The Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study is a randomized clinical trial designed to determine the effects of a best-practice hearing intervention versus a successful aging health education control intervention on cognitive decline among community-dwelling older adults with untreated mild-to-moderate hearing loss. We describe the baseline audiologic characteristics of the ACHIEVE participants. METHOD: Participants aged 70-84 years (N = 977; Mage = 76.8) were enrolled at four U.S. sites through two recruitment routes: (a) an ongoing longitudinal study and (b) de novo through the community. Participants underwent diagnostic evaluation including otoscopy, tympanometry, pure-tone and speech audiometry, speech-in-noise testing, and provided self-reported hearing abilities. Baseline characteristics are reported as frequencies (percentages) for categorical variables or medians (interquartiles, Q1-Q3) for continuous variables. Between-groups comparisons were conducted using chi-square tests for categorical variables or Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables. Spearman correlations assessed relationships between measured hearing function and self-reported hearing handicap. RESULTS: The median four-frequency pure-tone average of the better ear was 39 dB HL, and the median speech-in-noise performance was a 6-dB SNR loss, indicating mild speech-in-noise difficulty. No clinically meaningful differences were found across sites. Significant differences in subjective measures were found for recruitment route. Expected correlations between hearing measurements and self-reported handicap were found. CONCLUSIONS: The extensive baseline audiologic characteristics reported here will inform future analyses examining associations between hearing loss and cognitive decline. The final ACHIEVE data set will be publicly available for use among the scientific community. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24756948.

Loneliness and Social Network Characteristics Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss in the ACHIEVE Study.

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is linked to loneliness and social isolation, but evidence is typically based on self-reported hearing. This study quantifies the associations of objective and subjective hearing loss with loneliness and social network characteristics among older adults with untreated hearing loss. METHODS: This study uses baseline data (N = 933) from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study. Hearing loss was quantified by the better ear, speech-frequency pure tone average (PTA), Quick Speech-in-Noise test, and hearing-related quality of life. Outcomes were validated measures of loneliness and social network characteristics. Associations were assessed by Poisson, negative binomial, and linear regression adjusted for demographic, health, and study design characteristics. RESULTS: Participants were mean of 76.8 (4.0) years, 54.0% female, and 87.6% White. Prevalence of loneliness was 38%. Worse PTA was associated with a 19% greater prevalence of moderate or greater loneliness (prevalence ration [PR]: 1.19.95% CI: 1.06, 1.33). Better speech-in-noise recognition was associated with greater social network characteristics (eg, larger social network size [IRR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.07]). Worse hearing-related quality of life was associated with a 29% greater prevalence of moderate or greater loneliness (PR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.19, 1.39) and worse social network characteristics (eg, more constricted social network size [IRR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.00]). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest the importance of multiple dimensions of hearing to loneliness and social connectedness. Hearing-related quality of life may be a potentially useful, easily administered clinical tool for identifying older adults with hearing loss associated with greater loneliness and social isolation.

Hearing loss and dementia in older adults: A narrative review.

The prevalence of hearing loss is high among older adults; globally, 65% of adults over 60 years have hearing loss. Over the past decade, evidence from epidemiologic studies has linked hearing loss to nearly two times greater risk of dementia. The hypothesized mechanistic pathways through which hearing loss could contribute to increased dementia risk include the effects of hearing on greater cognitive load, changes in brain structure and function, and decreased social engagement. These mechanistic pathways may be modified by management of hearing loss using existing intervention (eg, hearing aids). Hearing treatment may be an effective intervention for slowing cognitive decline in some older adults. In this review, we update existing reviews of the current epidemiologic research on the association between hearing loss and dementia risk and discuss hypothesized mechanisms of this association. We also discuss management of hearing loss as a potential intervention for slowing cognitive decline and reducing dementia risk.

Hearing loss and cognition: A protocol for ensuring speech understanding before neurocognitive assessment.

INTRODUCTION: Many neurocognitive evaluations involve auditory stimuli, yet there are no standard testing guidelines for individuals with hearing loss. The ensuring speech understanding (ESU) test was developed to confirm speech understanding and determine whether hearing accommodations are necessary for neurocognitive testing. METHODS: Hearing was assessed using audiometry. The probability of ESU test failure by hearing status was estimated in 2679 participants (mean age: 81.4 ± 4.6 years) using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Only 2.2% (N = 58) of participants failed the ESU test. The probability of failure increased with hearing loss severity; similar results were observed for those with and without mild cognitive impairment or dementia. DISCUSSION: The ESU test is appropriate for individuals who have variable degrees of hearing loss and cognitive function. This test can be used prior to neurocognitive testing to help reduce the risk of hearing loss and compromised auditory access to speech stimuli causing poorer performance on neurocognitive evaluation.

Depression and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss in the ACHIEVE Study.

Hearing loss is associated with cognitive/physical health; less is known about mental health. We investigated associations between hearing loss severity, depression, and health-related quality of life among older adults with unaided hearing loss. Data (N = 948) were from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders Study. Hearing was measured by pure-tone average (PTA), Quick Speech-in-Noise (QuickSIN) test, and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S). Outcomes were validated measures of depression and health-related quality of life. Associations were assessed by negative binomial regression. More severe hearing loss was associated with worse physical health-related quality of life (ratio: .98, 95% CI: .96, 1.00). Better QuickSIN was associated with higher mental health-related quality of life (1.01 [1.00, 1.02]). Worse HHIE-S was associated with depression (1.24 [1.16, 1.33]) and worse mental (.97 [.96, .98]) and physical (.95 [ .93, .96]) health-related quality of life. Further work will test effects of hearing intervention on mental health.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use Among US Medicare Beneficiaries Aged 71 Years and Older.

Importance: National prevalence estimates are needed to guide and benchmark initiatives to address hearing loss. However, current estimates are not based on samples that include representation of the oldest old US individuals (ie, aged ≥80 years), who are most at-risk of having hearing loss. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of hearing loss and hearing aid use by age and demographic covariates in a large, nationally representative sample of adults aged 71 years and older. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cohort study, prevalence estimates of hearing loss by age, gender, race and ethnicity, education, and income were computed using data from the 2021 National Health Aging and Trends Study. Survey weights were applied to produce nationally representative estimates to the US older population. Data were collected from June to November 2021 and were analyzed from November to December 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: Criterion-standard audiometric measures of hearing loss and self-reported hearing aid use. Results: In this nationally representative sample of 2803 participants (weighted estimate, 33.1 million individuals) aged 71 years or older, 38.3% (95% CI, 35.5%-41.1%) were aged 71 to 74 years, 36.0% (95% CI, 33.1%-38.8%) were aged 75 to 79 years, 13.8% (95% CI, 12.6%-14.9%) were aged 80 to 84 years, 7.9% (95% CI, 7.2%-8.6%) were aged 85 to 89 years, and 4.0% (95% CI, 3.5%-4.6%) were aged 90 years or older; 53.5% (95% CI, 50.9%-56.1%) were female and 46.5% (95% CI, 43.9%-49.1%) were male; and 7.5% (95% CI, 6.2%-8.7%) were Black, 6.5% (95% CI, 4.4%-8.7%) were Hispanic, and 82.7% (95% CI, 79.7%-85.6%) were White. An estimated 65.3% of adults 71 years and older (weighted estimate, 21.5 million individuals) had at least some degree of hearing loss (mild, 37.0% [95% CI, 34.7%-39.4%]; moderate, 24.1% [95% CI, 21.9%-26.4%]; and severe, 4.2% [95% CI, 3.3%-5.3%]). The prevalence was higher among White, male, lower-income, and lower education attainment subpopulations and increased with age, such that 96.2% (95% CI, 93.9%-98.6%) of adults aged 90 years and older had hearing loss. Among those with hearing loss, only 29.2% (weighted estimate, 6.4 million individuals) used hearing aids, with lower estimates among Black and Hispanic individuals and low-income individuals. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that bilateral hearing loss is nearly ubiquitous among older US individuals, prevalence and severity increase with age, and hearing aid use is low. Deeper consideration of discrete severity measures of hearing loss in this population, rather than binary hearing loss terminology, is warranted.

Hearing intervention versus health education control to reduce cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss in the USA (ACHIEVE): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is associated with increased cognitive decline and incident dementia in older adults. We aimed to investigate whether a hearing intervention could reduce cognitive decline in cognitively healthy older adults with hearing loss. METHODS: The ACHIEVE study is a multicentre, parallel-group, unmasked, randomised controlled trial of adults aged 70-84 years with untreated hearing loss and without substantial cognitive impairment that took place at four community study sites across the USA. Participants were recruited from two study populations at each site: (1) older adults participating in a long-standing observational study of cardiovascular health (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities [ARIC] study), and (2) healthy de novo community volunteers. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to a hearing intervention (audiological counselling and provision of hearing aids) or a control intervention of health education (individual sessions with a health educator covering topics on chronic disease prevention) and followed up every 6 months. The primary endpoint was 3-year change in a global cognition standardised factor score from a comprehensive neurocognitive battery. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03243422. FINDINGS: From Nov 9, 2017, to Oct 25, 2019, we screened 3004 participants for eligibility and randomly assigned 977 (32·5%; 238 [24%] from ARIC and 739 [76%] de novo). We randomly assigned 490 (50%) to the hearing intervention and 487 (50%) to the health education control. The cohort had a mean age of 76·8 years (SD 4·0), 523 (54%) were female, 454 (46%) were male, and most were White (n=858 [88%]). Participants from ARIC were older, had more risk factors for cognitive decline, and had lower baseline cognitive scores than those in the de novo cohort. In the primary analysis combining the ARIC and de novo cohorts, 3-year cognitive change (in SD units) was not significantly different between the hearing intervention and health education control groups (-0·200 [95% CI -0·256 to -0·144] in the hearing intervention group and -0·202 [-0·258 to -0·145] in the control group; difference 0·002 [-0·077 to 0·081]; p=0·96). However, a prespecified sensitivity analysis showed a significant difference in the effect of the hearing intervention on 3-year cognitive change between the ARIC and de novo cohorts (pinteraction=0·010). Other prespecified sensitivity analyses that varied analytical parameters used in the total cohort did not change the observed results. No significant adverse events attributed to the study were reported with either the hearing intervention or health education control. INTERPRETATION: The hearing intervention did not reduce 3-year cognitive decline in the primary analysis of the total cohort. However, a prespecified sensitivity analysis showed that the effect differed between the two study populations that comprised the cohort. These findings suggest that a hearing intervention might reduce cognitive change over 3 years in populations of older adults at increased risk for cognitive decline but not in populations at decreased risk for cognitive decline. FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health.

The Population Attributable Fraction of Dementia From Audiometric Hearing Loss Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: The population attributable fraction (PAF) of dementia from hearing loss (HL) in the United States is ~2% when incorporating self-reported HL measures. However, self-report might underestimate clinically significant audiometric HL among older adults. Here, we quantified PAFs of dementia from audiometric HL overall and by age, sex, and race/ethnicity groups among a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults in the United States. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from Round 11 (2021) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a prospective cohort study representing the U.S. Medicare population aged 65+ years (N = 2 470). We estimated model-adjusted PAFs of prevalent dementia by audiometric HL (pure-tone averages: normal hearing, <26 dB HL; mild HL, 26-40 dB HL; moderate or greater HL, ≥41 dB HL). RESULTS: Among eligible participants (34.8% aged ≥80 years; 55.3% female; 82.4% non-Hispanic White), 37.5% had mild, and 28.8% had moderate or greater HL. Dementia prevalence overall was 10.6%, with the PAF predominately driven by moderate or greater HL (PAF = 16.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.1-28.7%). The PAF from any degree of HL was larger but with a wider CI (PAF = 18.7%, 95% CI: -5.3% to 40.1%). There was evidence associations differed by sex but not age or race/ethnicity; moderate or greater HL exhibited stronger associations among males (PAF = 40.5%; 95% CI: 19.5% to 57.2%) than females (PAF = 3.2%; 95% CI: -12.7% to 17.9%). CONCLUSIONS: In a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults in the United States, 17% of dementia cases were attributable to moderate or greater audiometric HL, an estimate that is eightfold higher relative to studies relying on self-reported hearing measures only.

Hearing Loss and Dementia Prevalence in Older Adults in the US.

This study assesses the association of audiometric hearing loss and hearing aid use with dementia among community-dwelling older US Medicare beneficiaries.

Social isolation and 9-year dementia risk in community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Social isolation can influence whether older adults develop dementia. We examine the association between social isolation and incident dementia among older adults in a nationally representative sample of community dwelling older adults in the United States (U.S.). We also investigate whether this association varies by race and ethnicity. METHODS: Data (N = 5022) come from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a longitudinal and nationally representative cohort of older adults in the U.S. A composite measure of social isolation was used to classify older adults as socially isolated or not socially isolated at baseline. Demographic and health factors were measured at baseline via self-report. Dementia was measured at each round of data collection. Discrete-time proportional hazard time-to-event models were used to assess the association between social isolation and incident dementia over 9 years (2011-2020). RESULTS: Of 5022 older adults, 1172 (23.3%) were socially isolated, and 3850 (76.7%) were not socially isolated. Adjusting for demographic and health factors, being socially isolated (vs. not socially isolated) was associated with a 1.28 (95% CI: 1.10-1.49) higher hazard of incident dementia over 9 years. There was no statistically significant difference by race and ethnicity. CONCLUSION: Social isolation among older adults is associated with greater dementia risk. Elucidating the pathway by which social isolation impacts dementia may offer meaningful insights for the development of novel solutions to prevent or ameliorate dementia across diverse racial and ethnic groups.

Concurrent hearing and vision impairment and 8-year memory decline in community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: Hearing and vision impairments are risk factors for cognitive decline; less is known about dual sensory impairment. This study quantifies the association between dual sensory impairment and 8-year change in memory among older adults. METHODS: Data (N = 5552) were from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Memory (immediate/delayed word recall, subjective memory) was measured annually (2011 to 2019). Hearing and vision impairments were measured by self-report. Association between dual sensory impairment and 8-year change in memory was assessed using multivariate linear mixed effect models and generalized logistic mixed models. RESULTS: Rate of memory decline was most accelerated among participants with dual sensory impairment. For example, 8-year decline in delayed word recall was -1.03 (95% confidene interval: -1.29, -0.77) for dual sensory impairment versus -0.79 (-0.92, -0.67) for single and -0.56 (-0.63, -0.48) for no impairment. CONCLUSION: Older adults with dual sensory impairment may be at particularly higher risk for cognitive decline.

Prevalence of Concurrent Functional Vision and Hearing Impairment and Association With Dementia in Community-Dwelling Medicare Beneficiaries.

Importance: Impairments in vision or hearing are common and have been independently linked to higher risk of dementia in older adults. There is a limited understanding of the prevalence of concurrent functional vision and hearing impairment (dual sensory impairment) and its contribution to dementia risk. Objective: To examine the age-specific prevalence of functional dual sensory impairment among older adults, and to investigate the cross-sectional and 7-year longitudinal associations between functional dual sensory impairment and dementia. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study of 7562 older adults used data from the US National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a nationally representative cohort study of community-dwelling, Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older in the US. Participants in the study with complete data on hearing, vision, and dementia were included in analysis. Data were collected between 2011 and 2018, and between March 2018 and May 2020. Exposures: Self-reported functional sensory impairments (ie, no sensory impairment, functional vision impairment only, functional hearing impairment only, and functional dual sensory impairment). Main Outcomes and Measures: Age-specific prevalence of functional sensory impairments was calculated. Generalized linear regression with a complementary log-log link and a discrete time proportional hazards model with a complementary log-log link were used to assess the cross-sectional and 7-year longitudinal hazard of dementia. Results: Of 7562 participants, 3073 (40.7%) were ages 80 years or older and 4411 (58.3%) were women. Overall, 5.4% (95% CI, 4.7%-6.1%) of participants reported functional vision impairment only, 18.9% (95% CI, 18.9%-17.8%) reported functional hearing impairment only, and 3.1% (95% CI, 2.7%-3.5%) reported functional dual sensory impairment (prevalence estimates are weighted). Participants reporting sensory impairments were older (no impairment: age ≥90 years, 2.12% [95% CI, 1.79%-2.46%] vs functional dual sensory impairment: age ≥90 years, 20.06% [95% CI, 16.02%-24.10%]), had lower education (no impairment:

Hearing Impairment and Loneliness in Older Adults in the United States.

Hearing impairment impacts fluidity of communication and social interactions and thus may contribute to loneliness. We investigated the cross-sectional association between hearing impairment and loneliness in community-dwelling older U.S. adults using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (N = 3,196). Individuals reporting fair/poor hearing had 50% (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.09-2.05]) higher odds of any loneliness compared with those reporting excellent hearing after adjusting for comorbidity index, functional and cognitive ability, self-reported health, and demographic characteristics. Test for trend suggests a dose-response relationship over levels of hearing impairment. Hearing impairment is highly prevalent and may be an important target for consideration in interventions to reduce loneliness. Further investigation of whether treatment of hearing impairment alleviates loneliness and its disabling effects is also needed.

The Effect of Varying Incentive Amounts on Physician Survey Response.

A major challenge with surveying physicians is low response. In this article, we present results of an experiment conducted to determine the optimal monetary incentive amount for gaining response from physicians to a short screener survey. Sampled physicians were randomly assigned to three prepaid cash incentive conditions (US$2, US$5, US$10) compared to a control (US$0). This study found using any incentive increased response versus no incentive. The US$10 incentive produced the highest response and was significantly greater than the US$2 incentive group. However, we did not find a statistical difference between the $5 and US$10 incentives or between the US$2 and US$5 incentives. In addition, any incentive amount increased the likelihood of early response compared to no incentive. This study builds on previously mixed results about the effects of various incentive amounts and effect on early survey response. These findings provide practical advice for researchers surveying physicians.

Adolescent Cognitive Aptitudes and Later-in-Life Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders.

Importance: Low early-life cognitive ability is a potential early marker of dementia risk in later life. Previous studies use only global measures of general intelligence and/or study this relationship in gender-specific samples. The contribution of early-life performance on specific cognitive abilities, such as language, reasoning, and visualization aptitudes, to indicating future dementia risk is unknown. Objectives: To investigate the association between adolescent cognitive ability and Medicare-recorded Alzheimer disease and related disorders (ADRD) using both general and specific measures of cognitive ability and to explore these associations separately in men and women. Design, Setting, and Participants: Population-based cohort study from the Project Talent-Medicare linked data set, a linkage of adolescent sociobehavioral data collected from high school students in 1960 to participants' 2012 to 2013 Medicare Claims and expenditures data. The association between adolescent cognitive ability and risk of ADRD in later life was assessed in a diverse sample of 43 014 men and 42 749 women aged 66 to 73 years using a series of logistic regressions stratified by sex, accounting for demographic characteristics, adolescent socioeconomic status, and regional effects. Data analysis was conducted from November 2017 to March 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures: Presence of Medicare-reported ADRD. Results: Overall, 1239 men (2.9%) and 1416 women (3.3%) developed ADRD. Lower mechanical reasoning was associated with increased odds of ADRD in men (odds ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.05-1.29), and lower memory for words in adolescence was associated with increased odds of ADRD in women (odds ratio, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05-1.28). Lower performance on several other language, reasoning, visualization, and mathematic aptitudes in adolescence showed prominent, but weaker, associations with odds of ADRD. Conclusions and Relevance: This work contributes to the understanding of early-life origins of ADRD risk. The results suggest specific measures of cognitive ability may contribute to very early identification of at-risk subgroups who may benefit from prevention or intervention efforts.