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Background: Physical and cognitive activities are associated with decreased risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. However, the longitudinal associations between physical and cognitive activities with trajectories of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuroimaging biomarkers among older adults free of dementia remain unclear. Method: We conducted a longitudinal study derived from the population‐based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, including individuals aged ≥ 50 years who were free of dementia. Participants had information on physical and cognitive activity engagement in midlife (ages 30‐45 for participants aged 50‐69; ages 50‐65 for participants aged ≥ 70) and late‐life (12 months prior to baseline assessment), and AD biomarker assessments. We calculated linear mixed‐effect models to examine the association between baseline physical and cognitive activity composite scores for mid‐ and late‐life, and trajectories for individual yearly change in amyloid deposition (measured by PiB‐PET), tau burden (measured by Tau‐PET), regional glucose hypometabolism (measured by FDG‐PET), cortical thickness (measured by MRI), and white matter hyper intensities (WMH, measured by FLAIR‐MRI). The models were adjusted for age, sex, and APOE ɛ4 carrier status. Result: The sample included 2755 persons (52% males; 2462 cognitively unimpaired, 293 with MCI). The mean [SD] age was 72.7 [9.8] years; 774 participants were APOE ɛ4 carriers. Although, overall, participants showed an increase in amyloid deposition, tau burden, WMH, and a decrease in glucose metabolism and cortical thickness over time, those with higher late‐life physical activity experienced less pronounced increase in Tau‐PET SUVR over time [estimate for late‐life physical activity with time interaction: ‐0.002; 95% CI ‐0.004, ‐0.000; p = 0.034]. In addition, participants with higher cognitive activities in midlife [est. for midlife cognitive activity with time interaction: 0.001; 95% CI 0.000, 0.003; p = 0.026] and late‐life [est. for late‐life cognitive activity with time interaction 0.002; 95% CI 0.001, 0.003; p = 0.005] had less pronounced decrease in FDG‐PET SUVR over time. There were no further significant interactions. Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest significant associations between 1) late‐life physical activity and less tauopathy, and 2) cognitive activities in mid‐ and late‐life with less synaptic dysfunction over time. Further research is needed to validate study findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Exploratory study that examines outcomes of alternative Alzheimer's Savvy Caregiver Program (SCP) training formats for rural participants.Method: 101 caregivers completed surveys before training in one-, two-, or three-day sessions and at six-month phone interview follow-up. Immediate post-training evaluations were also obtained.Results: Regardless of format, participants viewed training as excellent, used SCP materials at six-month follow-up and increased participation in support groups.Implications: Substantial modification in SCP to meet special needs of rural caregivers appears not to sacrifice desired outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT. To examine the effectiveness of new parents at soothing their infants, the authors filmed primiparae (20 mothers, 20 fathers) and, for comparison, multiparae (25 mothers, 25 fathers) during an interaction with their crying 2-to 3-day-old infants. Data were derived from loudness ratings of the infants' distress signals and by measuring the time it took parents to quiet their infants. In addition, specific parental behaviors were coded by microanalysis. From these data, measures of soothing effectiveness and behavioral profiles were derived. Data analyses showed that most primiparae were effective at soothing their infants' cries and that there were no parity effects on measures of soothing effectiveness. However, mothers, regardless of parity, were more effective at quieting their infants than were fathers, and there were significant differences in mothers' and fathers' caregiving behaviors. These data suggest that primiparae are effective at quickly soothing their newborns and that their skill, as measured, does not depend on parenting experience. Moreover, the data point to significant differences in mothers' and fathers' competence at quieting their newborns whether or not they are experienced at parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]