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Objectives We examined associations between job strain and trajectories of change in cognitive functioning (general cognitive ability plus verbal, spatial, memory, and speed domains) before and after retirement. Methods Data on indicators of job strain, retirement age, and cognitive factors were available from 307 members of the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging. Participants were followed up for up to 27 years (mean = 15.4, SD = 8.5). Results In growth curve analyses controlling for age, sex, education, depressive symptoms, cardiovascular health, and twinness, greater job strain was associated with general cognitive ability (estimate = −1.33, p = .002), worse memory (estimate = −1.22, p = .007), speed (estimate = −1.11, p = .012), and spatial ability (estimate = −0.96, p = .043) at retirement. Greater job strain was also associated with less improvement in general cognitive ability before retirement and a somewhat slower decline after retirement. The sex-stratified analyses showed that the smaller gains of general cognitive ability before retirement (estimate = −1.09, p = .005) were only observed in women. Domain-specific analyses revealed that greater job strain was associated with less improvement in spatial (estimate = −1.35, p = .010) and verbal (estimate = −0.64, p = .047) ability before retirement in women and a slower decline in memory after retirement in women (estimate = 0.85, p = .008) and men (estimate = 1.12, p = .013). Neither preretirement nor postretirement speed was affected significantly by job strain. Discussion Greater job strain may have a negative influence on overall cognitive functioning prior to and at retirement, while interrupting exposure to job strain (postretirement) may slow the rate of cognitive aging. Reducing the level of stress at work should be seen as a potential target for intervention to improve cognitive aging outcomes.

Food insecurity (FI) may limit cognitive functioning during aging. The goal of this systematic review was to summarize existing evidence linking FI and general or specific cognitive functions in middle and older adulthood. A systematic search of human studies published between 1 January 2000 and 30 April 2018 was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and CAB Direct. Four independent reviewers assessed the eligibility of identified articles and conducted data extraction and data quality assessment. Ten studies were included in the review, including 1 cluster-randomized controlled trial, 2 longitudinal studies, and 7 cross-sectional studies. Three studies reported the association between early-life FI experience and a global cognitive function measure. Nine studies reported later-life FI experience in relation to global or specific cognitive functions. The results suggest an adverse association between FI experienced in early or later life and global cognitive function; and between later-life FI and executive function and memory. Findings from the review are preliminary because of sparse data, heterogeneity across study populations, exposure and outcome assessments, and potential risk of bias across studies. Future studies are recommended to better understand the role of FI in cognitive function, with the goal of identifying possible critical windows for correction of FI in vulnerable subpopulations to prevent neurocognitive deficit in adulthood.

Background and Objectives e-Health solutions are an innovative approach to support aging with cognitive impairment. Because technology is developing at a fast pace, the aim of this review was to present an overview of the research regarding the effectiveness of these solutions. Moreover, the availability of these solutions was examined. Research Design and Methods Systematic searches were conducted in 7 databases. Full texts of potentially relevant references were assessed by 2 reviewers, and discrepancies were solved through discussion. Data on study characteristics, technology type, application domain, availability, outcomes, and effects were extracted. A categorization exercise and narrative synthesis were conducted. Results In total, 72 studies describing 70 e-Health solutions were identified. The majority of solutions comprised cognitive training for older adults, followed by educational and supportive web platforms for caregivers. Outcomes included mainly measures of cognition, psychosocial functioning, caregiving processes, caregiver–care receiver relationship, and activities of daily living. Positive effects of cognitive training technologies were observed on cognitive functioning of older adults, as well as those of supportive web platforms on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and caregiver self-efficacy. The effects of these solutions on depression in both target groups were inconclusive. The methodological quality of the studies was moderate to good. However, some important limitations were observed. Discussion and Implications The review identified cognitive training solutions and supportive web platforms as the most effective on a limited number of outcomes. Although other solutions seem promising, further research has to overcome methodological issues. Furthermore, solutions for leisure and reminiscence and outcomes specifically related to independent living deserve more attention.

Economic growth determines the future well-being of society, but finding ways to influence it has eluded many nations. Empirical analysis of differences in growth rates reaches a simple conclusion: long-run growth in gross domestic product (GDP) is largely determined by the skills of a nation’s population. Moreover, the relevant skills can be readily gauged by standardized tests of cognitive achievement. Over the period 1960–2000, three-quarters of the variation in growth of GDP per capita across countries can be accounted for by international measures of math and science skills. The relationship between aggregate cognitive skills, called the knowledge capital of a nation, and the long-run growth rate is extraordinarily strong. There are natural questions about whether the knowledge capital–growth relationship is causal. While it is impossible to provide conclusive proof of causality, the existing evidence makes a strong prima facie case that changing the skills of the population will lead to higher growth rates. If future GDP is projected based on the historical growth relationship, the results indicate that modest efforts to bring all students to minimal levels will produce huge economic gains. Improvements in the quality of schools have strong long-term benefits. The best way to improve the quality of schools is unclear from existing research. On the other hand, a number of developed and developing countries have shown that improvement is possible.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the association of family eating behaviors with young children's cognitive development, particularly among non-White populations. The objective of this study is to determine if healthier family eating behaviors are associated with young Mexican children's cognitive functioning. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from a convenience sample of low-income child-mother dyads recruited from a public preschool in San Luis Potosi, S.L.P., Mexico. Using the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) questionnaire, mothers were asked to report the frequency of ten family eating behaviors (e.g., frequency of breakfast intake, family mealtimes, etc.). Children completed two cognitive tests: a working memory test of their ability to recall four words after a timed distraction (i.e., delayed recall); and a verbal fluency test, examined with a 60-second trial of word retrieval in response to “things people eat”. The associations of family eating behaviors with children's working memory and verbal fluency were examined using multiple linear regression models adjusting for child sex, age, mother's age, education, and subjective socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Study included 85 child-mother dyads; children's ages ranged from 3 to 6 years (4.58 ± 0.58) and mothers from 19 to 55 years (30.92 ± 8.49). Children had a mean working memory score of 2.24 ± 0.99 words recalled and retrieved a mean of 20.06 ± 5.26 words in the verbal fluency tests. Higher frequency of breakfast intake was associated with higher working memory scores (β = 0.56, P = 0.013). No other family eating practices were significantly associated with children's working memory. Children's verbal fluency scores were not significantly associated with family eating practices. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent breakfast intake was associated with young children's memory maintenance. Future research is needed to examine the mechanisms through which breakfast intake could benefit children's neurodevelopmental health. FUNDING SOURCES: This study was supported by the training grant “Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP)” funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and support from the NIDDK.

Background and Objectives We examined quality of education, literacy, and years of education in relation to late-life cognitive function and decline in older Puerto Ricans. Research Design and Methods Our sample consisted of 3,385 community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and older from the Puerto Rican Elderly: Health Conditions study. Quality of education was based on principal component analysis of variables gathered from Department of Education and Census reports. Literacy (yes/no) and years of education were self-reported. Cognitive function was assessed in participants’ homes at baseline and 4 years later using a previously validated Spanish-language 20-point global screening measure for dementia, the minimental Cabán. Regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic and life course covariates. Results Quality of education was positively correlated with both educational attainment and cognitive performance. Independent of years of education, literacy, childhood economic hardship, and adult economic hardship, compared to participants in the lowest quartile of education quality, those in the highest quartile had significantly better baseline cognitive performance (β = 0.09, p < .001). Quality of education did not consistently show an association with change in cognitive function over 4 years. Literacy and greater educational attainment were each independently associated with better cognitive function at baseline and less cognitive decline. Discussion and Implications Quality of education, literacy, and years of education, while interrelated, also show independent associations with cognitive functioning in older Puerto Ricans. The downstream factors of literacy and years of education were more closely related to age-related cognitive decline than quality of education.

Background There have been several attempts to define core outcome domains for use in research focused on adult burns. Some have been based in expert opinion, whilst others have used primary qualitative research to understand patients’ perspectives on outcomes. To date there has not been a systematic review of qualitative research in burns to identify a comprehensive list of patient-centred outcome domains. We therefore conducted a systematic review of qualitative research studies in adult burns. Methods We searched multiple databases for English-language, peer-reviewed, qualitative research papers. We used search strategies devised using the SPIDER tool for qualitative synthesis. Our review utilized an iterative three-step approach: (1) outcome-focused coding; (2) development of descriptive accounts of outcome-relevant issues; and (3) revisiting studies and the broader theoretical literature in order to frame the review findings. Results Forty-one articles were included. We categorized papers according to their primary focus. The category with the most papers was adaptation to life following burn injury (n = 13). We defined 19 outcome domains across the 41 articles: (1) sense of self; (2) emotional and psychological morbidity; (3) sensory; (4) scarring and scar characteristics; (5) impact on relationships; (6) mobility and range of joint motion; (7) work; (8) activities of daily living and self-care; (9) treatment burden; (10) engagement in activities; (11) wound healing and infection; (12) other physical manifestations; (13) financial impact; (14) impact on spouses and family members; (15) analgesia and side effects; (16) cognitive skills; (17) length of hospital stay; (18) access to healthcare; and (19) speech and communication. We suggest that sense of self is a core concern for patients that, to date, has not been clearly conceptualized in the burns outcome domain literature. Conclusions This outcome domain framework identifies domains that are not covered in previous attempts to outline core outcome domains for adult burn research. It does so with reference to existing theoretical perspectives from the sociology and psychology of medicine. We propose that this framework can be used as a basis to ensure that outcome assessment is patient-centred. Sense of self requires further consideration as a core outcome domain.

Background and Objectives This study investigated the relationship between childhood friendships and cognitive functioning, as assessed with cognitive status and decline among adults aged 45 and older in China. We also examined the mediating effect of adult social disconnectedness and adult loneliness for this relationship. Research Design and Methods This study was based on 3 waves of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS; 2011, 2013, 2015; N = 13,959). Cognitive functioning was assessed with episodic memory. Childhood friendship measures were taken from the 2014 life history module of the CHARLS. Two dimensions of adult social isolation, loneliness and social disconnectedness, were included as mediators. Latent growth curve modeling was utilized to test the associations between childhood friendships, adult social isolation, and cognitive functioning. Results Adverse childhood friendship experiences were found to be significantly associated with both lower initial cognitive status and the rate of decline in cognitive functioning. Our findings indicated that adult loneliness and social disconnectedness partly mediated the link between childhood friendship experiences and the initial level of cognitive functioning, but not cognitive decline later in life. Discussion and Implications The findings emphasized the enduring importance of childhood friendships for cognitive functioning later in life. Interventions that focus on improving social participation through fostering friendships in childhood may have long-term benefits for cognition later in life.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this research was to investigate a novel low glutamate dietary intervention for Gulf War Illness (GWI), a chronic multi-symptom disorder that includes cognitive dysfunction. METHODS: Forty GW veterans with GWI were recruited from across the US. As part of a larger clinical trial, participants completed computerized cognitive testing and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) using CNS Vital Signs® (CNSVS) software. Before diet initiation, subjects received intensive dietary counseling. Post-diet assessments were completed after 1 month on the diet, and then participants were randomized to a 2-week double-blind placebo-controlled crossover challenge with glutamate (MSG)/placebo administered over 3 days of each week. The CNSVS battery was administered again on the 3(rd) day of each challenge week. The challenge data have not yet been un-blinded, and therefore will not be included in this abstract. Pre-post testing (t-test or Wilcoxon Signed Rank test) was conducted for each domain in the CNSVS battery, including an overall marker of neurocognitive function (NCI) and the ASRS. RESULTS: Several cognitive domains were significantly improved after 1-month on the low glutamate diet, including NCI (P

Objectives Parents of individuals with disabilities face ongoing responsibilities of providing care and support for their children, even during the child’s adulthood. Past research has shown that this caregiving role is linked to chronic stress and subsequent adverse health outcomes for parents, including impaired cognition. This study examines the impacts of genetic risk for cognitive impairment (apolipoprotein [APOE] ɛ4 allele) among parents of adults with disabilities and comparison parents whose adult children do not have disabilities. Method We performed rank order regression analysis of data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (2004–2006 and 2010–2012 surveys and DNA samples). Participants included parents of adults with disabilities (247 mothers and 159 fathers) and comparison parents whose adult children were not disabled (1,482 mothers and 954 fathers). Results Mothers who had adult children with disabilities and who were APOE ɛ4 carriers reported significantly declining levels of subjective cognitive functioning over time, but mothers of adults with disabilities who did not have the APOE ɛ4 allele did not manifest this change. Among comparison group mothers, cognitive change over time was not a function of their APOE ɛ4 carrier status. Fathers’ cognitive function did not differ significantly by either parental status or APOE ɛ4 carrier status. Discussion The results show that older mothers of adults with disabilities are more susceptible to cognitive impairment than their age peers if they have the genetic risk factor of APOE ɛ4 allele.

Recent evidence has shown that patterns of cortico-cortical functional synchronization are consistently traceable by the end of the third trimester of pregnancy. The involvement of subcortical structures in early functional and cognitive development has never been explicitly investigated, notwithstanding their pivotal role in different cognitive processes. We address this issue by exploring subcortico-cortical functional connectivity at rest in a group of normally developing fetuses between the 25th and 32nd weeks of gestation. Results show significant functional coupling between subcortical nuclei and cortical networks related to: (i) sensorimotor processing, (ii) decision making, and (iii) learning capabilities. This functional maturation framework unearths a Cognitive Development Blueprint, according to which grounding cognitive skills are planned to develop with higher ontogenetic priority. Specifically, our evidence suggests that a newborn already possesses the ability to: (i) perceive the world and interact with it, (ii) create salient representations for the selection of adaptive behaviors, and (iii) store, retrieve, and evaluate the outcomes of interactions, in order to gradually improve adaptation to the extrauterine environment.

Long-term exposures to the stress and stimulation of different work, parenting, and partnership combinations might influence later life cognition. We investigated the relationship between women’s work-family life histories and cognitive functioning in later life. Analyses were based on data from women born between 1930 and 1957 in 14 European countries, from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2004–2009) (n = 11,908). Multichannel sequence analysis identified 5 distinct work-family typologies based on women’s work, partnership, and childrearing statuses between ages 12 and 50 years. Multilevel regressions were used to test the association between work-family histories and later-life cognition. Partnered mothers who mainly worked part-time had the best cognitive function in later life, scoring approximately 0.63 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18, 1.07) points higher than mothers who worked full-time on a 19-point scale. Partnered mothers who were mainly unpaid caregivers or who did other unpaid activities had cognitive scores that were 1.19 (95% CI: 0.49, 1.89) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.20, 1.66) points lower than full-time working mothers. The findings are robust to adjustment for childhood advantage and educational credentials. This study provides new evidence that long-term exposures to certain social role combinations after childhood and schooling are linked to later-life cognition.

There exists a substantial body of work, dating back nearly a century, exploring individual differences in the ability to accurately judge the personality traits and characteristics of other people. While the picture of the good judge of others’ personality remains somewhat abstract, there are some characteristics that consistently bear out as important, such as intelligence and emotional stability. Overall, there are five characteristics that have been investigated as correlates of this ability: (1) cognitive functioning, (2) personality, (3) motivation, (4) gender, and (5) behavior. This chapter opens with an introduction to this area of scholarship, a brief coverage of the conceptual framework, and the definitions and measurement of accuracy. A description of the research within each of the five areas is then provided. Next, some theoretical considerations for ongoing research on the good judge are illuminated. Finally, this chapter concludes with some worthy directions for future research related to the good judge of personality.

Background and Objectives Despite emerging literature linking Internet usage and cognitive functioning in later life, research seldom takes changes in older adults’ Internet use into account. How changes in Internet use influence older adults’ cognitive decline over time, particularly in the context of sociodemographic factors that shape Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use, remains an open question. Research Design and Methods Using 9 waves of panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (2002–2018), we examined within-person asymmetric effects of transitioning into and out of Internet use on cognitive functioning, and whether the associations vary across birth cohorts and by living arrangement. Results Transitioning into Internet use (i.e., Internet use onset) was associated with improved cognitive functioning at a given wave and decelerated cognitive decline over time. Transitioning out of the Internet (i.e., Internet use cessation) was associated with worse cognitive functioning at a given wave and accelerated cognitive decline over time. Furthermore, birth cohort and living arrangement moderated these associations. The detrimental effect of transitioning out of Internet use was worse for older adults born in 1941 or before. The cognitive benefits of transitioning into Internet use were greater for those older adults who live alone. Discussion and Implications These findings highlight the interplay between technology, social environment, and cognitive functioning in later life. The salubrious effects of using the Internet, as well as the deleterious effects of ceasing to use such technology, underscore the importance of promoting digital literacy and access to ICT among the older adult population.

Cognitive impairment is prevalent in Parkinson Disease (PD) and increasing age is a PD risk factor. Age and cognition may impact patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) level, reliability, or validity of responses. This study investigated the relative impact of cognitive function and age on PROMs in PD. Cross-sectional data (n=676) included assessments of age, cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment; MoCA) and PROMIS-29 Profile (physical functioning, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, social functioning, pain). Analyses examined differences by age and MoCA in: 1)Level—correlations, multivariable regressions controlling for disease severity (UPDRSmotor, PD duration), comorbidity (CIRS-G), demographics; 2)Reliability--Cronbach’s alpha, and 3)Validity--correlations of PROMIS physical function with physician assessments. Sample was age M=68.0(SD=9.1); range=36-93 years, 64% male, 87% white, 37% college educated, PD duration M=8.2(SD=6.1) years, and MoCA M=24.3(SD=4.9; range 2-30). Greater cognitive impairment was consistently associated with greater physical/mental impairment (r=.14-.45; p.8) across cognitive and age groups, except for Fatigue at MoCA.36) across cognition and age groups. Cognitive impairment in PD is associated with lower physical function and mental health levels. Reliability and validity of most PROMs in PD are neither impacted by cognition nor age.

Research on bilingualism has found inconsistent results regarding its potential benefit on the cognitive abilities of older adults. The goal of the current study was to evaluate differences in cognition on a wide array of neuropsychological assessments between monolingual and bilingual cognitively healthy older adults who specifically speak only English and/or Spanish. The sample included cognitively intact older adults who were either monolingual (n=247) English speakers or bilingual (n=42) in English and Spanish. Performance was compared between groups from a battery of neuropsychological assessments that measured executive function, attention, short-term memory, and episodic memory. Compared to English and Spanish bilinguals, monolingual English speakers performed significantly better on a variety of tasks within the domains of executive function, attention, and short-term memory. No significant differences were found in favor of the bilinguals on any domain of cognitive performance. In the present study, we failed to observe a significant advantage for English and Spanish bilingual speakers on the cognitive performance of older adults when compared to monolingual English speakers. This study suggests that the bilingual advantage may not be as robust as originally reported, and the effects of bilingualism on cognition could be significantly impacted by the languages included in the study.

As the population ages, risks for cognitive decline threaten independence and quality of life for older adults. Classically, psychological assessment tools to evaluate cognitive functioning are administered in face-to-face laboratory sessions, which is time- and resource-consuming. With the aim of reducing such costs, the present study set out to develop and validate two new online tools, allowing a rapid assessment of general cognitive abilities and of prospective memory. We collected data from 250 participants equally spread across the adult lifespan (aged 18 – 86). Results suggest that performance assessed via these newly developed online tools is comparable to performance in face-to-face laboratory settings. Our findings thereby indicate that these online tools can reliably measure cognitive functioning across the lifespan at a reduced cost, which may help detect individuals at risk of developing age-related cognitive disorders.

Background There is mixed evidence regarding the nature of cognitive function in patients who have undergone renal transplantation. The aim of this meta-analysis was to examine which cognitive domains are impacted following kidney transplantation and how performance compares with non-transplanted patients or healthy controls/normative data. Method A systematic search was conducted using keywords within three databases (Embase, MEDLINE and PsychINFO), yielding 458 unique studies, 10 of which met the inclusion criteria. Neuropsychological tests were grouped into nine cognitive domains and three separate analyses were undertaken within each domain: (i) within subjects pre- versus post-transplant, (ii) transplanted versus non-transplanted patients and (iii) transplanted versus healthy matched controls and standardized normative data. Results Transplanted patients showed moderate to large improvements in the domains of general cognitive status (g = 0.526), information and motor speed (g = 0.558), spatial reasoning (g = 0.376), verbal memory (g = 0.759) and visual memory (g = 0.690) when compared with their pre-operative scores. Test scores in the same five domains were significantly better in post-transplanted patients when compared with dialysis-dependant or conservatively managed chronic kidney disease patients. However, post-transplanted patients’ performance was significantly low compared with that of healthy controls (and standardized normative data) in the domains of executive functioning (g = −0.283), verbal fluency (g = −0.657) and language (g = −0.573). Conclusions Two key issues arise from this review. First, domain-specific cognitive improvement occurs in patients after successful transplantation. Nevertheless, transplanted patients still performed significantly below healthy controls in some domains. Second, there are important shortcomings in existing studies; the length of follow-up is typically short and only limited neuropsychological test batteries are employed. These factors are important in order to support the recovery of cognitive function among patients following renal transplant.

Breast cancer survivors may experience accelerated decline in cognitive functioning compared to same-aged peers with no cancer history (Small et al., 2015). Survivors may show important differences in mean-level performance or variability in cognitive functioning compared to those without a history of cancer (Yao et al., 2016). This study compared ambulatory cognitive functioning in a sample of breast cancer survivors and an age-matched community sample without a history of cancer (n_cancer=47, n_non-cancer=105, age range: 40-64 years, M=52.13 years). Participants completed three cognitive tasks measuring working memory, executive functioning, and processing speed up to five times per day for 14 days. Results indicated no mean-level differences in cognitive performance on the three tasks between cancer survivors and those without cancer history (p’s>.05). Unexpectedly, women without cancer history showed more variability than survivors on working memory but not on the other two tasks. Across both groups, those without a college education performed worse on executive functioning (B=-0.05, SE=0.03, p

A set of policies is at the center of the agenda on early childhood development: parenting programs, childcare regulation and subsidies, cash and in-kind transfers, and parental leave policies. Incentives are embedded in these policies, and households react to them differently. They also have varying effects on child development, both in developed and developing countries. We have learned much about the impact of these policies in the past 20 years. We know that parenting programs can enhance child development, that centre based care might increase female labor force participation and child development, that parental leave policies beyond three months don’t cause improvement in children outcomes, and that the effects of transfers depend much on their design. In this review, we focus on the incentives embedded in these policies, and how they interact with the context and decision makers to understand the heterogeneity of effects and the mechanisms through which these policies work. We conclude by identifying areas of future research.

Background and Objectives Recent research suggests that working longer may be protective of cognitive functioning in later life, especially for workers in low complexity jobs. As postretirement work becomes increasingly popular, it is important to understand how various retirement pathways influence cognitive function. The present study examines cognitive changes as a function of job complexity in the context of different types of retirement transitions. Research Design and Methods We use data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine change in cognitive function for workers who have held low, moderate, and high complexity jobs and move through distinct retirement pathways—retiring and returning to work, partial retirement—compared with those who fully retire or remain full-time workers. Inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (a propensity score method) is used to adjust for selection effects. Results There are systematic variations in the relationships between work and cognitive performance as a function of job complexity and retirement pathways. All retirement pathways were associated with accelerated cognitive decline for workers in low complexity jobs. In contrast, for high complexity workers retirement was not associated with accelerated cognitive decline and retiring and returning to work was associated with modest improvement in cognitive functioning. Discussion and Implications Both policy makers and individuals are beginning to embrace longer working lives which offer variety of potential benefits. Our findings suggest that continued full-time work also may be protective for cognitive health in workers who hold low complexity jobs.

Socioeconomic gradients in health, cognitive, and socioemotional skills start at a very early age. Well-designed policy interventions in the early years can have a great impact in closing these gaps. Advancing this line of research requires a thorough understanding of how households make human capital investment decisions on behalf of their children, what their information set is, and how the market, the environment, and government policies affect them. A framework for this research should describe how children’s skills evolve and how parents make choices about the inputs that model child development, as well as the rationale for government interventions, including both efficiency and equity considerations.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between micronutrient fortified food consumption compared with standard foods and cognitive functioning among low-income children. METHODS: Low-income children (ages 8–12 years) participating in an afterschool program were recruited for this randomized-controlled trial. At baseline, trained research assistants measured IQ (Shipley-2 Composite Standard Scores) and cognitive functioning (Stroop Color Word Test [Golden Version], Trail Making Test, and Conners Continuous Performance Test [CPT-3]) to evaluate executive functioning, selective attention, and processing speed. Children were then randomly assigned to receive either micronutrient fortified foods (n = 19) or to continue receiving standard foods (n = 16) daily at the afterschool program for approximately three months. The intervention foods contained 75% Daily Value for all essential vitamins and minerals, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, protein, one cup of milk, and one serving of fruits. The standard foods consisted of juice and primarily processed meats with refined grains. The cognitive tests were re-administered post-implementation. Differences in cognitive scores between the intervention and control groups were assessed using repeated measures ANOVAs and ANCOVAs, adjusting for age RESULTS: A total of n = 35 children were eligible to participate and had regular attendance at the afterschool program during the study period. When examining differences between the control and intervention groups over time, the results were suggestive of a trend towards the control group performing worse over time CPT Omissions T-scores (P = 0.10), CPT Hit Reaction Time (HRT) T-scores (P = 0.06), and CPT HRT Block Change T-Score (P = 0.09) compared with the intervention group. However, there was a trend towards worse performance in the intervention group on CPT Perseverations T-Scores (P = 0.07) compared with the control group. There were no significant differences between-groups over time on the Trail Making test or Stroop test CONCLUSIONS: Overall, there was some evidence of improved cognitive scores over time among low-income children provided with micronutrient fortified foods relative to the control group. It is possible that these nutrient-dense, fortified foods may be cognitively protective in this population and future larger studies should examine these associations FUNDING SOURCES: This study was funded by an unrestricted gift from the 43ForKids Foundation.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between omega 3 fatty acid consumption from seafood and cognitive functioning. METHODS: Using NHANES data from 2011–2014, examine 60–80 year olds cognitive function. Three different assessments will be used for analysis: the CERAD Word Learning subtest, the Animal Fluency test and the Digit Symbol Substitution test. Seafood consumption in the past 30 days was used to calculate estimated omega 3 consumption per day. Omega 3 consumption was categorized into 3 categories: zero consumption; 0

OBJECTIVES: Certain amino acids are precursors for neurotransmitters (such as tyrosine being a precursor for dopamine) or directly act on receptors in the brain (such as glutamate and aspartate), and ultimately influence brain function. This study examines the association between dietary amino acids important for neurotransmission and cognitive function in college students with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Undergraduate students (ADHD n = 17; controls n = 38; age 18–22) were recruited from a mid-Atlantic university. All participants completed a 3-day food diary and dietary data was entered into the Nutrition Data Systems for Research. Average intake estimates were evaluated for total protein and for the amino acids important for neurotransmission: glutamate, glycine, cysteine, aspartate, tyrosine, and tryptophan. Computerized cognitive testing was administered using CNS Vital Signs® software. The resulting Neurocognitive Index (NCI) was the main outcome of interest as a marker of overall neurocognitive status. Data were analyzed in SPSS. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate the association between the intake of total protein and amino acids with the NCI. Estimates were adjusted for ADHD status, sex, age, and GPA. The protein model was further adjusted for total energy intake (kcal) and amino acid models were further adjusted for total protein intake. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in protein intake, amino acid intake, nor in cognitive function between the ADHD and control group, thus, these groups were combined for later analyses. The intake of total protein and of glutamate, glycine, cysteine, tyrosine or tryptophan were not significantly related to NCI. However, aspartate was found to be negatively related to NCI (β = −6.83 (SE = 2.18), P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In this college population, ADHD was not associated with significant deficiencies in cognitive function. However, intake of aspartate was negatively associated with overall cognitive function within the whole college population. Higher dietary intake of aspartate can be observed in individuals consuming the artificial sweetener aspartame or high amounts of gelatin. Future research is needed to further explore the implications of specific amino acids on cognitive function. FUNDING SOURCES: N/A.

OBJECTIVES: Research has documented that frequent breakfast consumption is associated with better cognition. However, the relationship between breakfast type and cognitive functioning is lesser known. In this study, we examined both breakfast type and consumption frequency in relation to IQ and academic achievement in a sample of 12-year-old Chinese schoolchildren. METHODS: Participants included 835 12-year-old children from the China Jintan Cohort Study. Breakfast habits, food types, and intake frequency were assessed through self-administered nutrition questionnaires. The types of foods measured included fruits/vegetables, grain/rice, meat/egg, dairy products, and soy products. IQ was measured with the Chinese version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Standardized academic achievement was collected through school reports. Multivariate general linear modeling was implemented for data analysis. RESULTS: More frequent breakfast consumption of grain/rice and meat/egg (6–7 days per week) was significantly associated with higher verbal, performance, and full scale IQs, by 3.562, 3.687, and 4.559 points, respectively (all P

Exposure to psychological trauma is sometimes followed by significant emotional and behavioral changes that constitute post-traumatic stress reactions, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Neurocognitive decrements constitute one of the core features of PTSD, and a growing literature has identified specific patterns of neurocognitive compromise and related neurobiological features. This chapter provides an overview of neurocognitive features of PTSD, including performance on both standardized, emotionally neutral neuropsychological tasks and information processing abnormalities in the context of emotionally relevant stimuli. Direction of causality is also discussed, namely whether neurocognitive integrity is a moderator of psychological outcomes following trauma exposure and/or whether neurocognition is adversely affected by PTSD development. The chapter also includes a review of associated biological features potentially underlying expressed neurocognitive features, including neuroimaging findings, neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine characteristics, and genetic and epigenetic factors. In addition, it provides a brief overview of some of the major theoretical frameworks relevant to cognitive processes as a mechanism for PTSD development and maintenance. Finally, the chapter addresses the relationship of neurocognitive functioning to treatment, both as a predictor of treatment response and as an outcome of treatment.

Background Physical activity (PA) is a promising strategy for the promotion of brain health, although substantial variation exists in the effects of PA at the individual level. Given the greater prevalence and faster progression of Alzheimer’s disease in women compared to men, and known sex differences in brain architecture, analysis of sex differences in the relationship between PA, cognition, and brain region volumes is warranted. Methods To address this, we conducted secondary analyses of data from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study. To determine whether longitudinal changes in PA over 10 years predicted declines in global cognitive functioning and executive functions and processing speed differently in males and females, latent growth curve modeling was utilized. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at year 10, and the hippocampus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were identified as regions of interest. Results Maintaining PA over 10 years predicted less declines in executive functions and processing speed in females but not males. Maintaining PA over 10 years was significantly associated with greater volume of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain region involved in executive functions, in year 10 in females only. Maintaining physical activity was associated with better global cognitive function in both males and females, and also predicted volume of the left hippocampus, albeit in different directions with females showing a negative relationship and males showing a positive relationship. Conclusions These findings suggest that the relationship of PA with cognition and its neurobiological correlates differ by sex, with females apparently benefiting from PA to a greater extent than males. Development of personalized, tailored exercise recommendations to promote healthy brain aging should account for sex differences.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) are characterized by cognitive impairment. However, not all patients with SSDs show cognitive impairments, and the explanation for the possible heterogeneity in cognitive functioning in SSDs is not clear. Studies have found high levels of childhood trauma (CT) in SSDs. It has been shown that CT has a detrimental effect on brain development and cognitive function. Accordingly, CT could influence the level of cognitive impairment in individuals with SSDs. Research on whether CT is associated with cognitive impairment in SSDs is inconclusive – some studies report impaired cognitive functioning, whereas other studies have found no cognitive impairment in SSDs reporting CT. Few studies have investigated if overall CT and CT subtypes, i.e. physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and physical and emotional neglect, could explain the observed variation in cognitive functioning, which was the aim of the present study. METHODS: We included 75 patients with SSDs (i.e. ICD-10 diagnoses F20-29) who completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short-Form (CTQ-SF), measuring five subtypes of CT. We divided the sample into two groups and compared patients reporting no CT (0 moderate to severe CT) to those reporting CT (1 – 5 moderate to severe CT) in relation to cognitive impairment (general cognitive functioning and seven cognitive domains: verbal abilities; visuospatial abilities; learning; memory; attention/working memory; executive abilities, and processing speed) by means of independent t-tests. CTQ-SF subscale scores and the relation to cognitive impairment were investigated by means of multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Thirty-six (48 %) patients reported 0 (moderate - severe) CT and 39 (52 %) reported 1 – 5 (moderate – severe) CT. Preliminary results indicate that the group of patients reporting 1 – 5 CT showed impaired verbal abilities compared to the SSDs patients reporting 0 CT. Further, the CTQ-SF subscales as predictors in the regression models were examined, and we found a differential effect of CT subtypes on cognitive impairment. The effect sizes (R2) were small to moderate, ranging from .06 to .25. Comprehensive results will be presented. DISCUSSION: In our sample of patients with SSDs, the patients reporting moderate to severe CT may show impaired verbal abilities compared to the patients without CT. Further, CT subtypes may exert a differential effect on cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Leptin is derived in adipose tissue and circulates in the body to play a key role in metabolism and energy regulation. In non-psychiatric populations, there is evidence that leptin levels are associated with neurocognitive performance. The production of its circulating soluble binding receptor increases during exercise, which has been associated with neuroplasticity and memory enhancement. The soluble leptin receptor (SLR) is the main leptin binding protein in blood in humans, which serves as an antagonist of the transport of leptin to the brain. Cognitive deficits are well established in schizophrenia, even early in the course of the disorder. However, the question as to whether leptin plays a role in the well-observed cognitive deficits in schizophrenia is unanswered. We examined the relationship between soluble leptin receptor levels and cognitive deficits assessed with the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) prior to participation in a longitudinal study of a combined cognitive training and aerobic exercise program intended to improve cognition and functional outcomes in these young-adult schizophrenia patients. METHODS: The participants were 48 first-episode adult-onset schizophrenia patients treated at the UCLA Aftercare Research Program. Plasma soluble leptin R levels were measured by solid phase sandwich ELISA (D0BR00, R&D Systems) using a Molecular Devices SpectraMax M2 plate reader, and concentrations calculated using a 5-Parameter Logistic Nonlinear Regression Model (SoftMax Pro software). The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was administered contemporaneously with the plasma blood draw during study baseline, prior to the randomized treatment conditions. RESULTS: Higher plasma soluble leptin receptor levels were significantly correlated in cross-sectional analyses with lower MCCB overall composite cognitive index scores (r= -.33, P=.03). Post-hoc analyses of the individual MCCB domains found 4 of the 7 to be significantly correlated with leptin levels (Speed of Processing (r = -34, P=.02), Attention/Vigilance (r = -34, P=.02), Verbal Learning and Memory (r = -30, P=.04), and Social Cognition (r = -30, P=.04). Soluble leptin receptor levels were not, however, significantly associated Working Memory (r = -19, P=.20), Visual Learning and Memory (r = -.21, P=.15), or Reasoning and Problem Solving (r = -07, P=.63). DISCUSSION: These results indicate certain cognitive deficits after onset of schizophrenia are moderately associated with soluble leptin receptor levels, even early in the course of the disorder. The higher incidence of the leptin receptor levels is thought to have an impact on lower rates of bioavailability of leptin to cross the blood-brain barrier and thus lend to improved neuroplasticity. Weight very commonly increases over time on antipsychotic medication. These findings are consistent with the known association between weight, and in particular, adipose tissue, and leptin. The negative impact of weight increase on cognitive functioning is rarely considered in the treatment of schizophrenia. However, these findings suggest that they should be an area of concern. Future reports will examine the effects of an exercise intervention on both leptin and cognition.

The study of aging and cognitive skill learning is concerned with age-related changes and differences in how we gather, store, and use information and abilities. As life expectancy continues to rise, resulting in greater numbers and proportions of older individuals in the population, understanding the development and retention of skills across the lifespan is increasingly important. Older adults’ task performance in cognitive skill learning is often equal to that of young adults, albeit not as efficient, where older adults often require more time to complete training. Investigations of age differences in fundamental cognitive processes of attention, memory, or executive functioning generally reveal declines in older adults. These are related to a slowing of cognitive processing. Slowing in cognitive processing results in longer time necessary to complete tasks which can interfere with the fidelity of older adults’ cognitive processes in time-limited scenarios. Despite this, older adults maintain comparable rates of learning with young adults, albeit with some reduced efficiency in more complex tasks. The effectiveness of older adults’ learning is also impacted by a lesser tendency to recognize and adopt efficient learning strategies, as well as less flexibility in strategy use relative to younger adults. In learning tasks that involve a transition from using a complex initial strategy to relying on memory retrieval, older adults show a volitional avoidance of memory that is related to lower memory confidence and an impoverished mental model of the task. Declines in learning are not entirely problematic from a functional perspective, however, as older adults can often rely upon their extensive knowledge to compensate for certain deficiencies, particularly in everyday tasks. Indeed, domains where older adults have maintained expertise are somewhat insulated from other age-related declines.

Objectives Numerous studies have documented the relationship between education and cognitive functioning at the individual level. Yet few studies have examined whether a spouse’s education spills over to influence the other spouse’s cognitive functioning. This study, therefore, investigates the association between spousal education and cognitive functioning, the pathways that may account for this association, and gender differences in this association. Method Growth curve models were analyzed by using longitudinal couple data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 5,846 individuals). Results More years of spousal education are associated with higher level of cognitive functioning at age 65 (γ000 = 0.0532, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.0163−0.0901) and slower decline in cognitive functioning in later adulthood (γ100 = 0.0054, 95% CI = 0.0026−0.0082). The positive association between spousal education and the level of cognitive functioning at age 65 is fully explained by economic resources. The association of spousal education with the rate of change in cognitive functioning decreases but remains significant after controlling for economic resources and health behaviors (γ100 = 0.0043, 95% CI = 0.0014−0.0072). The association between spousal education and cognitive functioning is similar for men and women. Discussion Findings suggest that more years of spousal education may slow decline in cognitive functioning for men and women in later life.

Background We developed simulator-based tools for assessing provider competence in transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and vascular duplex scanning. Methods Psychomotor (technical) skill in TTE image acquisition was calculated from the deviation angle of an acquired image from the anatomically correct view. We applied this metric for formative assessment to give feedback to learners and evaluate curricula. Psychomotor skill in vascular ultrasound was measured in terms of dexterity and image plane location; cognitive skill was assessed from measurements of blood flow velocity, parameter settings, and diagnosis. The validity of the vascular simulator was assessed from the accuracy with which experts can measure peak systolic blood flow velocity (PSV). Results In the TTE simulator, the skill metric enabled immediate feedback, formative assessment of curriculum efficacy, and comparison of curriculum outcomes. The vascular duplex ultrasound simulator also provided feedback, and experts’ measurements of PSV deviated from actual PSV in the model by Conclusions Skill in acquiring diagnostic ultrasound images of organs and vessels can be measured using simulation in an objective, quantitative, and standardized manner. Current applications are provision of feedback to learners to enable training without direct faculty oversight and formative assessment of curricula. Simulator-based metrics could also be applied for summative assessment.

Research on healthy aging has begun to address mental health issues in later life. Despite the debates about exactly what constitutes healthy aging and which are the most useful or valid determinants of this construct to study, there is substantial evidence for several determinants of successful aging, including physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and social networks. All three of these determinants support mental health, including cognition, in later life. Resilience is another construct that plays an important role in healthy aging, but it has not received as much research attention at the end of life as in earlier periods. Factors that reduce the risk of mental distress or promote resilience with respect to mental health in the face of challenges in later life remain fruitful areas for further investigations.

This chapter reviews the state of current knowledge on cognitive transformations in the desistance process. It considers transformations in the content of cognitions: changing pro-criminal attitudes, changing meanings of and emotions surrounding criminal behavior, and the importance of motivation and hope. The chapter also considers transformations in cognitive skills that enable the person trying to desist to act upon the intentions they have formed. It argues that an integrated theory of the desistance process must include an understanding of all these cognitive transformations. In developing this argument, this chapter challenges narrowly psychological-criminological theories—more particularly their recent applications in offender treatment. Finally, we suggest that further and more methodologically robust empirical exploration of the chronological sequencing of a range of life events and cognitive changes will be critical to developing our understanding of desistance from crime.

Life-course theory postulates that our ultimate health outcomes are, in part, a response to an accumulation of advantages and disadvantages that begin early in life. Using 2012 Health and Retirement Study data on 9,221 older adults, we quantify how childhood factors contribute to “cognitive achievement”, directly and indirectly through their effects on mediating adult outcomes. We estimate “cognitive achievement” as the output of a production function, produced by childhood health and socioeconomic-status, adult socioeconomic achievements, health habits and pertinent demographics, adopting simultaneous equations mediation model to quantify the direct and indirect effects of childhood factors. We find that favorable childhood conditions significantly improve cognitive achievement, both directly and indirectly, mediated through education, income, and wealth. Our findings complement available research by showing that cognitive achievement is a function of childhood, adult and later-life factors. The pathways from childhood factors to cognitive achievement, however, could be more complex than previously reported.

According to a growing body of literature, the decision to stop driving has profound implications for older adults’ mobility, social integration, involvement in out-of-home activities and can lead to worsening of depression. The effect of driving cessation on older adults’ orientation to the future in terms of goals and meaning in life is understudied. Using ordinal logistic regression, this study assessed the impact of driving cessation on older adults’ self-reported future goals and perceptions of meaningfulness and on their assumption of a disabled identity. The sample of 711 respondents (M = 83.74, 67.3% female) was obtained from eight waves of the Florida Retirement Study (Kahana, Kelley-Moore, & Kahana, 2012). Respondents were mostly amenity migrants from the Midwest, living in a large retirement community, that provided no services, in Clearwater, Florida. Between 1994 and 2001, 31% of the participants stopped driving. After controlling for age, gender, marital status, cognitive functioning, IADL, self-rated health, presence of chronic diseases, and having transportation support from friends or family we found that driving had a significant positive effect (β=0.461, p=0.000) on having clear future goals. The second model found no significant effect (β=0.089, p=0.535) of driving on the perceived meaningfulness of existence. The final model revealed that driving cessation led to an increase in assuming a disability identity, even after controlling for the functional level. These findings demonstrate the importance of driving for older adults’ perceived quality of life and suggest the need for initiatives that will maximize the self-sufficiency of older adults.

We tested the ‘use it or lose it’ hypothesis in a cohort of 3,433 civil servants who participated in the Whitehall II Study, including repeated measurements of cognitive functioning up to 14 years before and 14 years after retirement. Piecewise models, centred at the year of retirement, were used to compare trajectories of verbal memory, abstract reasoning, phonemic verbal fluency, and semantic verbal fluency before and after retirement. We found that all domains of cognition declined over time. Declines in verbal memory were 38% faster after retirement compared to before, after taking account of age-related decline. Higher employment grade was protective against verbal memory decline while people were still working, but this ‘protective effect’ was lost when individuals retired, resulting in a similar rate of decline post-retirement across employment grades. We did not find a significant impact of retirement on the other cognitive domains.

Objectives: To evaluate the buffering role of personal control between stress and cognition in older men. Methods: We used combined data from the Health and Retirement Study 2010–2012 on personal control and life stress and a set of covariates drawn from the RAND HRS to conduct OLS regressions on total cognitive score. Results: Recent stressful events were not associated with cognition, but lifetime trauma was positively associated with cognition controlling for relevant covariates. Personal constraints were inversely associated with cognition. In the final trimmed model, trauma and personal constraints were both significantly and independently associated with cognitive functioning. Discussion: We found no evidence of a buffering effect of personal control on the relationship between stress and cognition. We found a positive association between trauma and cognition and an inverse association between personal constraints and cognition. Future research on cognitive functioning should incorporate psychosocial measures that reflect older men’s unique experiences.

Purpose of study: Researchers have found consistent and strong evidence that objective SES is positively related to cognitive functioning of older adults. However, only little is known about the effect of subjective social status (SSS) on cognitive functioning in later life. This study investigated whether SSS can be associated with trajectories of cognitive functioning among older adults in the U.S. Furthermore, we compared the explanatory power of objective SES measures and SSS to understand which factors better explain cognitive functioning. Design and Methods: We used the sample from the 2006–2012 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The sample included 11,199 older adults aged 50 and older. SSS was measured by the MacArthur Scale of SSS. To measure objective SES, we performed a principal component analysis using educational attainment, income and wealth quintiles, and occupational categories in order to obtain predict scores. Results: After controlling for covariates and objective SES, results from Growth-curve models showed that SSS was associated positively and significantly with the total cognition score (z=4.52, p

Maintaining cognitive function is an essential aspect of successful aging. Widowhood is a salient life transition that can affect older adults’ cognitive function. Leisure engagement has received increasing attention because it is still modifiable in later life to help prevent cognitive decline. Nonetheless, limited longitudinal studies have examined how widowhood influences cognitive function, and even fewer studies have tested the role of leisure activities in this relationship. Thus, this study delineated the mechanism of widowhood, leisure activity engagement, and cognitive function among older adults using a national longitudinal dataset, the Health and Retirement Study, and its supplementary dataset, the Consumption and Activities Mail Survey, which repeatedly measured individuals’ leisure activity engagement. Findings showed no significant association between widowhood and cognitive function during a 4-year period. However, engagement in mental activities moderated the impact of widowhood on cognitive function. Specifically, the benefit of mental activity engagement on cognition was more pronounced among individuals who were recently widowed compared to those who were married. This implies a protective role of mental activities in the relationship between widowhood and cognitive function. This suggests the need for interventions with mentally stimulating activities at the community level to retain cognition among individuals in early phase widowhood. Future studies are necessary to explore whether other factors such as changes in physical and mental health and intergenerational support from adult children during widowhood may further influence this mechanism among widowhood, leisure activities, and cognitive function.

In the aftermath of a natural disaster, some individuals will exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including chronic sleep disturbance and impaired cognitive function. Older adults may be particularly vulnerable due to typically higher sleep disruption than younger adults. We tested mediational models to further explore the positive relationship between PTSD symptoms and deficits in cognition, including subjective, self-report measures of applied cognition and executive functioning, and objective, behavioral tasks of working memory and attention/vigilance. Participants were mostly middle-aged and older adults who were indirectly and directly exposed to the Great Flood of 2016 flooding in Baton Rouge, LA. These persons completed a variety of cognitive tasks and health-related measures across three days of testing. PTSD symptomology was measured through the PTSD Checklist- Civilian Version, subjective cognition through the PROMIS Applied Cognition and Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scales, and objective cognition through Working Memory Composite (WMC) and Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) scores. Using subjective cognition as the outcome variable, sleep disturbance and impairment significantly mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and self-reported cognitive impairment. For the objective cognition outcomes, WMC and SART, we did not find any significant relationship between PTSD, sleep disturbance, and performance on either measure. These results imply that people’s self-reports of cognitive functioning in relation to PTSD are impacted by their quality of sleep. After disaster, interventions to improve sleep alone may benefit traumatized survivors, including older adults, leading to higher self-perceptions of one’s cognitive functioning.

The cognitive skills needed to successfully complete Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B) may also be important for driving. The standard cut-off time of 300s for TMT-B limits clinical assessment and research analysis and creates a spuriously restricted range. The purpose of this study was to apply the TMT-B Efficiency Score (TMT-Be), which increases variability among those unable to complete the task in 300s, to a sample of older adults who also completed an on-the-road driving evaluation. Data were obtained from N=146 cognitively impaired and cognitively intact individuals in the Providence, Rhode Island area as part of a larger driving study. Of those with complete data (n=114), most (96.5%) were White, the average age was 74.9 years (SD=7.20), and most were female (58.8%). The correlation between TMT-B total time in seconds and global driving rating was significant, and as the time to completion increased (worse performance), worse driving scores were obtained (rs=0.456, p

The intellectual stimulation provided by occupation throughout the life course seems to be an important determinant of cognitive function in late life. It is unclear if there are cognitive benefits to working later into life and whether cognitive function deteriorates after exiting the labor force. As the context of labor in Mexico requires Mexican adults to work later into life, we used longitudinal data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS). Analyses of the impact of participation in the labor force on cognitive functioning (verbal learning, delayed recall, visual scanning) were carried out using mixed-effects modeling corrected for the influence of gender, IADLs, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, depression, income, and marital status. Compared to production workers, those who worked in agriculture or with livestock had a significantly faster decline in verbal learning (0.02 words per year) and delayed recall (0.05 words per year), whereas those who worked in administration, education, or professional occupations had a significantly slower decline in delayed recall (0.06 per year). A continued participation in the labor force was, on one hand, associated with a faster decline in verbal learning for technicians (b=-0.073) and, on the other hand, associated with a slower faster decline in visual scanning for drivers (b=0.573). Our findings suggest that a continued participation in the labor force in old age does not necessarily come with cognitive benefits. Whether or not working actively in later life protects cognitive functioning probably depends on the type of job and individual characteristics.

Prior research indicates that older in comparison to younger workers regulate their emotions at the workplace more effectively, yet, this does not seem to apply for all older workers. The question arises which factors influence age-related trajectories of emotional functioning. The goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between occupational role demands and age-related trajectories of emotional functioning. Research on cognitive aging shows that workers with cognitively demanding jobs show more positive age trajectories of cognitive functioning than workers with less cognitively demanding jobs. This study tests the idea that workers with emotionally demanding jobs (relative to emotionally less demanding jobs) will grow with their duties over the course of their lifespan and improve their emotional functioning over time. This idea is tested with longitudinal data over ten years from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) study combined with information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database.

Cognitive change in older adults is dependent on many factors. In healthy aging, most individuals demonstrate a pattern of preserved “crystallized” knowledge with some decline in other aspects of cognitive functioning. Cognitive impairment can adversely affect judgement and decision-making abilities, which can negatively impact planning ability, financial decision making, and increase susceptibility to manipulation and fraud. The aging population, however, often has a range of risk factors (including general health conditions, cerebrovascular risk factors, and mental health disorders) that can contribute to suboptimal brain aging. Individuals with such conditions can also develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and although individuals with MCI may function reasonably well in daily life, they are at higher risk for poor decision making and financial exploitation. This presentation will review typical kinds of cognitive changes that can occur in healthy, cognitively intact older adults and how these changes can impact judgement, reasoning, and decision making.

Social engagement has been linked to preserved cognitive functioning in later life. While social engagement is often operationalized as network size, networks can also vary in composition. In addition, social resources may differentially affect cognition in minority groups at higher risk of cognitive impairment. This study examined relationships between network characteristics and cognition in the ethnically and racially diverse Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (n= 548, 60–93). Multiple regressions revealed that friend-focused networks were associated with better memory and language than family-focused networks. This finding may reflect the cognitive benefits of greater adaptive social pruning and lower homophily, which have both been found to characterize friend-focused networks, but direct tests are needed. Larger network size was only associated with better memory within friend-focused networks. Stratified analyses revealed that effects were driven by African Americans, suggesting that social networks may play a vital role in cognitive aging in this group.”

Spousal interdependence impacts a variety of physical and mental health conditions in late life. Of particular importance to older adults’ mental health is cognitive functioning. We performed longitudinal, dyadic path analysis with the Actor Partner Interdependence Model using data from 1028 married couples in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Cognitive functioning was measured with the Modified Mini-Mental examination, and depression was measured with the 10-item CESD at visit 5 (1992/1993), visit 8 (1995/1996), and visit 11 (1998/1999). Covariates (age, education, and disability) were from the 1989/1990 original and 1992/1993 African American cohort baseline visits. Results showed actor effects such that an individual’s lower cognitive functioning predicted greater depressive symptoms, but greater depressive symptoms did not predict lower cognitive functioning over time. For partner effects, an individual’s greater depressive symptoms predicted their partner’s lower cognitive functioning, but an individual’s lower cognitive functioning did not predict their partner’s greater depressive symptoms over time.

High proportions of shared age-related variance have been consistently reported among measures of perceptual acuity, balance, muscle strength, and cognitive capabilities in many age-heterogeneous, cross-sectional studies. Evaluating patterns of association based solely on between-person age differences is problematic for many reasons, particularly due to the confound of age-related mean trends. Results from longitudinal studies have been based on a variety of measurements and analytical models and have produced inconsistent results, hinting at the relative independence and multidimensionality of aging at the level of the individual. Variations in study design, measurement, and analytical models are essential to consider in the estimating interdependencies of aging-related change and best evaluated within a multistudy replication framework.