Childhood engagement in cognitively stimulating activities moderates relationships between brain structure and cognitive function in adulthood.

ABSTRACT: Greater engagement in cognitively stimulating activities (CSA) during adulthood has been shown to protect against neurocognitive decline, but no studies have investigated whether CSA during childhood protects against effects of brain changes on cognition later in life. The current study tested the moderating role of childhood CSA in the relationships between brain structure and cognitive performance during adulthood. At baseline (N=250) and 5-year follow-up (N=204) healthy adults aged 20-80 underwent MRI to assess four structural brain measures and completed neuropsychological tests to measure three cognitive domains. Participants were categorized into low and high childhood CSA based on self-report questionnaires. Results of multivariable linear regressions analyzing interactions between

SUBMITTER: Gaynor AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11363693 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature