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The Busier the Better: Greater Busyness is Associated with Better Cognition

Authors :
Sara B Festini
Ian M McDonough
Denise C Park
Source :
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, Vol 8 (2016)
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2016.

Abstract

Sustained engagement in mentally challenging activities has been shown to improve memory in older adults. We hypothesized that a busy schedule would be a proxy for an engaged lifestyle and would facilitate cognition. Here, we examined the relationship between busyness and cognition in adults aged 50-89. Participants (N = 330) from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study completed a cognitive battery and the Martin and Park Environmental Demands Questionnaire (MPED), an assessment of busyness. Results revealed that greater busyness was associated with better processing speed, working memory, episodic memory, reasoning, and crystallized knowledge. Hierarchical regressions also showed that, after controlling for age and education, busyness accounted for significant additional variance in all cognitive constructs—especially episodic memory. Finally, an interaction between age and busyness was not present while predicting cognitive performance, suggesting that busyness was similarly beneficial in adults aged 50-89. Although correlational, these data demonstrate that living a busy lifestyle is associated with better cognition.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16634365
Volume :
8
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.8d974f48bf8a4ec18cf736e5849904c3
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2016.00098