LIFELONG MAINTENANCE AND INCREASES IN READING ENGAGEMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER COGNITIVE HEALTH

摘要

Cognitive reserve theory proposes that early life cognitive experiences can reduce risk of late-life cognitive decline. Yet little information exists in the literature to describe whether increasing mid- and late- life cognitive engagement can have the same effect, bolstering cognitive reserve and potentially delaying the onset of late-life cognitive decline and dementia. In order to address this question, we analyzed self-report of reading engagement at ages 6, 12, 18, 40, and at present time in subjects spanning the cognitive continuum from normal to MCI to dementia in the Alzheimer’s Disease Center cohort at the University of Kentucky using adjusted regression modeling (n=489). Reading engagement at ages 6, 12, and 18 was not significantly associated with lower CDR Sum scores. However, reading engagement at age 40 and current reading engagement was significantly associated with lower CDR Sum scores (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively). We also found that an increase in reading engagement over the lifetime was associated with lower CDR Sum scores (p<0.001), and that reading engagement increase after age 18 was more strongly associated with lower CDR Sum scores than reading engagement increase before age 18 (p<0.01 vs. p>0.05 respectively). These data suggest that lifelong maintenance and continued increases in reading engagement across the lifespan in mid- and late-life may be beneficial in delaying cognitive decline. Future intervention studies are needed to elucidate the role that reading engagement might play in avoiding or delaying cognitive decline.