Leisure Activity in Old Age and Risk of Dementia: A 15-Year Prospective Study (original) (raw)
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Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly: Results from the Three-City Study
Neurology, 2009
Background Participation in leisure activities has been associated with a lower risk of dementia. It is unclear whether increased participation in leisure activities lowers the risk of dementia or participation in leisure activities declines during the preclinical phase of dementia. Methods We examined the relation between leisure activities and the risk of dementia in a prospective cohort of 469 subjects older than 75 years of age who resided in the community and did not have dementia at base line. We examined the frequency of participation in leisure activities at enrollment and derived cognitive-activity and physicalactivity scales in which the units of measure were activity-days per week. Cox proportionalhazards analysis was used to evaluate the risk of dementia according to the base-line level of participation in leisure activities, with adjustment for age, sex, educational level, presence or absence of chronic medical illnesses, and base-line cognitive status. Results Over a median follow-up period of 5.1 years, dementia developed in 124 subjects (Alzheimer's disease in 61 subjects, vascular dementia in 30, mixed dementia in 25, and other types of dementia in 8). Among leisure activities, reading, playing board games, playing musical instruments, and dancing were associated with a reduced risk of dementia. A one-point increment in the cognitive-activity score was significantly associated with a reduced risk of dementia (hazard ratio, 0.93 [95 percent confidence interval, 0.90 to 0.97]), but a one-point increment in the physical-activity score was not (hazard ratio, 1.00). The association with the cognitive-activity score persisted after the exclusion of the subjects with possible preclinical dementia at base line. Results were similar for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. In linear mixed models, increased participation in cognitive activities at base line was associated with reduced rates of decline in memory. Conclusions Participation in leisure activities is associated with a reduced risk of dementia, even after adjustment for base-line cognitive status and after the exclusion of subjects with possible preclinical dementia. Controlled trials are needed to assess the protective effect of cognitive leisure activities on the risk of dementia. The incidence of dementia increases with increasing age. Although the prevention of Source Information
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 2006
There is accumulating evidence in the literature that leisure engagement has a beneficial effect on dementia. Most studies have grouped activities according to whether they were predominantly mental, physical or social. Since many activities contain more than one component, we aimed to verify the effect of all three major components on the dementia risk, as well as their combined effect. A mental, social and physical component score was estimated for each activity by the researchers and a sample of elderly persons. The correlation between the ratings of the authors and the means of the elderly subjects' ratings was 0.86. The study population consisted of 776 nondemented subjects, aged 75 years and above, living in Stockholm, Sweden, who were still nondemented after 3 years and were followed for 3 more years to detect incident dementia cases. Multi-adjusted relative risks (RRs) of dementia for subjects with higher mental, physical and social component score sums were 0.71 (95% CI...
Effi cacy of leisure experiences in controlling the onset of dementia in older adults
There is compelling evidence supporting the protective effects that different leisure activities have on dementia. The focus of this study was to explore the degree to which leisure experiences that occur during the lifespan prevent or delay the onset of dementia. Greater protective effects against dementia were associated with engagement in a higher number of activities and greater frequency of participation. Leisure activities were divided into three main groupings: mental, social, and physical activities. All activity groups present positive effects separately; however, leisure activities involving these three components at the same time seem to be most benefi cial for preventing or reducing the risk of dementia in later life.
LEISURE ACTIVITIES AT OLD AGE AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON DEMENTIA DEVELOPMENT
2009
All previously published papers were reproduced with permission from the publishers. Cover painting: FUNAMBULE (2001) by Sonia Paillard Published by Karolinska Institutet. Printed by [Universitetsservice-AB] © Stéphanie Paillard-BorgA Julyan et Larah, "La chronologie empêche de faire des rapprochements entre les différentes époques.
Leisure Activities as a Predictor of Cognitive Decline and Dementia in Old Age
Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2017
Dementia is a growing medical and social problem with a devastating impact on the people affected and their respective families/care-takers. Therefore, having knowledge of the relationship between leisure activities with the dementia framework may be of extreme importance in early preventative diagnosis. In this project, by means of a transversal design, an empirical study was carried out to evaluate the principal effects of leisure in dementia development. The project included the participation of 61 elderly persons, 23 clinically diagnosed with dementia and 38 without a clinical diagnosis of dementia. This research takes into consideration one moment of the evaluation; the information having been gathered using evaluation instruments selected to this effect: Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Mini Mental State Exam, Portuguese Version, and Clinical Dementia Rating, Portuguese Version. From the results, it is highlighted that 1) leisure activities seem to be a protection factor in the development of dementia; and 2) leisure emerges as a predictor variable. The interpretation of the results, as well as their possible implications with regard to prevention and treatment, are discussed in light of the relevant literature.
Leisure activities, cognition and dementia
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 2012
Accumulated evidence shows that leisure activities have a positive impact on cognitive function and dementia. This review aimed to systematically summarize the current evidence on this topic taking into account the limitations of the studies and biological plausibility for the underlying mechanisms linking cognition, dementia and leisure activities, with special attention on mental, physical and social activities. We included only longitudinal studies, with a follow-up time of at least 2 years, published in English from 1991 to March 2011 on leisure activities and cognition (n= 29) or dementia (n= 23) and provided some evidence from intervention studies on the topic. A protective effect of mental activity on cognitive function has been consistently reported in both observational and interventional studies. The association of mental activity with the risk of dementia was robust in observational studies but inconsistent in clinical trials. The protective effect of physical activity on the risk of cognitive decline and dementia has been reported in most observational studies, but has been less evident in interventional studies. Current evidence concerning the beneficial effect of other types of leisure activities on the risk of dementia is still limited and results are inconsistent. For future studies it is imperative that the assessment of leisure activities is standardized, for example, the frequency, intensity, duration and the type of activity; and also that the cognitive test batteries and the definition of cognitive decline are harmonized/standardized. Further, well designed studies with long follow-up times are necessary. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Imaging Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative disease.
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Background: Studies have suggested that mentally stimulating activities and socially engaged lifestyles may reduce dementia risk; however, it is unclear which activities are more beneficial. Objective: We investigated intellectual and social leisure activities in relation to dementia incidence and explored the modifying role of sex and marital status in these associations. Methods: The sample was comprised of 8,030 participants aged 50+ from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, who joined at wave 1 (2002-2003), or waves 3 (2006-2007), or 4 (2008-2009). The end of the study period was wave 8 (2016-2017). Subdistribution hazard models investigated the role of leisure activities grouped into intellectual and social domains in relation to dementia while accounting for the risk of death. Subsequent analyses were conducted with individual leisure activities. Results: During the study period of up to 15 years, 412 participants developed dementia, and 2,192 died. We found that increase...
Physical leisure activities and their role in preventing dementia: a systematic review
International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 2009
Aim To synthesise the best available evidence concerning the role of physical leisure activities in preventing dementia among older adults. Methods Studies containing adults aged 60 years and older with or without a clinical diagnosis of dementia who did or did not participate in physical leisure activities were considered. Activities were those that required active movement of the body such as gardening or playing sports, which were not for occupation-related purposes nor activities of daily living. Experimental and observational studies in the English language were targeted; there was no date restriction. Results A total of 17 epidemiological studies were included in the review. The evidence was equivocal regarding the relationship between participation in physical activities during midlife and later life and the prevention of dementia. Conclusion Participating in physical activities during middle and later adult life can be neither refuted nor recommended to prevent the onset of dementia. Engaging in some physical activities (i.e. gardening, walking) appears to be more beneficial than engaging in other activities.