1
|
Tu L, Lv X, Yuan C, Chen H, Yu X, Wang H, Zhang Q. Sex differences in cognitive function trajectories and their determinants in older adults: Evidence from the Chinese longitudinal healthy longevity survey. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2024; 39:e6072. [PMID: 38488836 DOI: 10.1002/gps.6072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine sex differences in the cognitive trajectories of a nationally representative sample of older people living in China and to explore potential determinants of these trajectories. METHODS The study included 2230 women and 2171 men who were cognitively healthy and aged over 60 at the first observation from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey based on the 2008-2018 cohort. Cognitive function was measured using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify potential heterogeneity of longitudinal changes over the 10 years in each gender. Logistic regression was used to investigate associations between baseline characteristics (age, education, fertility history, sleep length, physical activity, and health status and behaviors) and trajectory classes. RESULTS Three trajectories (labeled stable, slow decline, and rapid decline) were identified according to the changes in MMSE scores for both women and men. For the women, both the slow and rapid decline groups accounted for a larger proportion (14.7% and 11.0%, respectively) than the male decline groups (8.1% and 6.6%, respectively), and the women had a lower baseline MMSE score with a faster decline. In the multivariable logistic regression analyses, older age, less education, older age at first birth, poorer functional abilities, hearing impairment, and lower baseline MMSE scores were significantly associated with cognitive decline in both the female and male groups compared to the stable group. For the women, sleeping over 9 h was also associated with a rapid cognitive decline trajectory, while current exercise and being overweight/obese were protective factors against cognitive decline. CONCLUSIONS The women had an overall more serious cognitive decline than men. The potential determinants of cognitive decline identified in this study could be considered for developing specific intervention strategies aimed at promoting a healthy brain and preventing cognitive decline in different sexes, especially in low-income and developing countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Tu
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaozhen Lv
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Changzheng Yuan
- School of Public Health, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui Chen
- School of Public Health, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Yu
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Huali Wang
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Qinge Zhang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lee JK, Frank RD, Christenson LR, Fields JA, Rocca WA, Mielke MM. Associations of reproductive factors and exogenous estrogens with global and domain-specific cognition in later life. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:63-73. [PMID: 37450421 PMCID: PMC10787812 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Few studies have comprehensively examined the impact of reproductive factors (i.e., reproductive window, parity, hormonal contraception [HC], and menopausal hormone therapy [MHT]) on global and domain-specific cognition in later life. METHODS We studied a population-based sample of 2458 women (median age 74.2 years) residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota; participants underwent a clinical evaluation and comprehensive cognitive testing. RESULTS The length of a woman's reproductive window was not associated with cognition. Higher parity was associated with greater cognitive decline in all domains. Ever HC use was associated with less decline in all domains. Ever MHT use was associated with greater decline in global cognition and all domain-specific z-scores except visuospatial; results were driven by women who initiated MHT 5 or more years after menopause. Additional adjustments for APOE and vascular-related covariates did not attenuate the results. DISCUSSION Multiple reproductive risk factors are associated with cognitive decline in later life. HIGHLIGHTS The length of a woman's reproductive window was not associated with cognition longitudinally. Greater parity was associated with greater cognitive decline longitudinally. Ever HC use was associated with less decline in global cognition and all domain-specific z-scores longitudinally (all p < 0.01). Ever MHT use was associated with greater decline in global cognition and all domain-specific z-scores except visuospatial longitudinally (all p < 0.01). The greatest cognitive decline was among women who initiated MHT more than 5 years after menopause.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jillian K. Lee
- Department of Epidemiology and PreventionWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Ryan D. Frank
- Department of Quantitative Health SciencesMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | | | - Julie A. Fields
- Division of Neurocognitive DisordersDepartment of Psychiatry and PsychologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Walter A. Rocca
- Department of Quantitative Health SciencesMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
- Department of NeurologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
- Women's Health Research CenterMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Michelle M. Mielke
- Department of Epidemiology and PreventionWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Quantitative Health SciencesMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Thomeer MB, Reczek R, Ross C, Bijou C. Sequencing of Births by Wantedness: Implications for Changes in Mid-Life Health Among Aging NLSY79 Women. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:1881-1891. [PMID: 37526336 PMCID: PMC10645314 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES As life course frameworks highlight and gerontological studies confirm, the health implications of early birth timing (e.g., adolescent births) and unplanned births (e.g., unwanted or mistimed births) extend years after those births into mid and later life. Yet past research often overlooks the considerable diversity in sequencing and timing of unplanned births even within the same individual (e.g., having both wanted and unwanted births), which are likely fundamental for women's long-term health trajectories. We develop a holistic understanding of birth timing and wantedness to provide insight into when and how childbearing histories matter for aging women's health. METHODS We use sequence analysis with hierarchical cluster method and estimate regression models using the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (N = 3,231) to examine how timing and patterning of births by wantedness are associated with changes in physical and mental health from ages 40 to 50. RESULTS We identify 7 clusters of childbearing sequences. Of those 7 clusters, respondents with sequences characterized by wanted births in their 20s and 30s had the smallest declines in health in mid-life, whereas respondents with sequences with mainly unwanted births at any age or with mainly mistimed births beginning in adolescence had the greatest health declines. Adjusting for social and economic variables accounted for some, but not all, health differences across childbearing clusters. DISCUSSION This project demonstrates the need for comprehensive life course perspectives on long-term health implications of birth wantedness and timing, recognizing diversity within and between individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mieke Beth Thomeer
- Department of Sociology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Rin Reczek
- Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Institute for Population Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Clifford Ross
- Department of Sociology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Christina Bijou
- Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Institute for Population Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Skirbekk V, Bowen CE, Håberg A, Jugessur A, Engdahl B, Bratsberg B, Zotcheva E, Selbæk G, Kohler HP, Weiss J, Harris JR, Tom SE, Krokstad S, Stern Y, Strand BH. Marital Histories and Associations With Later-Life Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment Risk in the HUNT4 70+ Study in Norway. J Aging Health 2023; 35:543-555. [PMID: 36321864 PMCID: PMC10151439 DOI: 10.1177/08982643221131926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Earlier studies suggest that being married in later life protects against dementia, and that being single in old age increases the risk of dementia. In this study, we examine midlife marital status trajectories and their association with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at ages 70 plus using a large population based sample from Norway. Methods: Based on a general population sample linked to population registries (N = 8706), we used multinomial logistic regression to examine the associations between six types of marital trajectories (unmarried, continuously divorced, intermittently divorced, widowed, continuously married, intermittently married) between age 44 and 68 years from national registries and a clinical dementia or a MCI diagnosis after age 70. We estimated relative risk ratios (RRR) and used mediation analyses adjusting for education, number of children, smoking, hypertension, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, mental distress, and having no close friends in midlife. Inverse probability weighting and multiple imputations were applied. The population attributable fraction was estimated to assess the potential reduction in dementia cases due to marital histories. Results: Overall, 11.6% of the participants were diagnosed with dementia and 35.3% with MCI. Dementia prevalence was lowest among the continuously married (11.2%). Adjusting for confounders, the risk of dementia was higher for the unmarried (RRR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.24, 2.40), continuously divorced (RRR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.43), and intermittently divorced (RRR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.06) compared to the continuously married. In general, marital trajectory was less associated with MCI than with dementia. In the counterfactual scenario, where all participants had the same risk of receiving a dementia diagnosis as the continuously married group, there would be 6.0% fewer dementia cases. Discussion: Our data confirm that staying married in midlife is associated with a lower risk of dementia and that divorced people account for a substantial share of dementia cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vegard Skirbekk
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Asta Håberg
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bo Engdahl
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bernt Bratsberg
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Ragnar Frisch Center for Economic Research, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ekaterina Zotcheva
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Geir Selbæk
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hans-Peter Kohler
- Population Aging Research Center and Department of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jordan Weiss
- Stanford Center on Longevity, Stanford University
| | - Jennifer R. Harris
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah E. Tom
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, USA
| | - Steinar Krokstad
- HUNT Research Centre, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Hospital Trust, Norway
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, USA
| | - Bjørn Heine Strand
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Nichols E, Ng DK, James BD, Deal JA, Gross AL. Measurement of Prevalent Versus Incident Dementia Cases in Epidemiologic Studies. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:520-534. [PMID: 36372974 PMCID: PMC10404065 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Because dementia is progressive, incident cases are on average milder than prevalent cases, affecting the performance of cognitive tests and questions on functional limitations (i.e., cognition/functional limitation items) used for dementia assessment. Longitudinal studies assess incident cases, while cross-sectional studies assess prevalent cases, but differences are not typically considered when researchers select items to include in studies. We used longitudinal data from the Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP) (n = 3,446) collected between 1994 and 2021 to characterize differences in associations between items (cognition: 35 items; functional limitations: 14 items) and incident or prevalent dementia using multinomial regression models with generalized estimating equations, controlling for ROSMAP cohort (Religious Orders Study or Memory and Aging Project), age, sex, race, and education. The association between a given item and incident dementia was significantly weaker than the association between the same item and prevalent dementia for 46 of 49 items. However, there was variability, with larger differences for some items, including naming a pencil (prevalence odds ratio = 0.02 (95% confidence interval: 0.02, 0.03); incidence odds ratio = 0.10 (95% confidence interval: 0.06, 0.17); P for difference < 0.001). Important differences exist in the performance of cognition/functional limitation items for measurement of incident versus prevalent dementia. Differences can inform the choice of items for cross-sectional studies of prevalent cases or longitudinal studies of incident cases, leading to reduced misclassification and increased statistical power.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Nichols
- Correspondence to Emma Nichols, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2024 E. Monument Street, Suite 2-700, Baltimore, MD 21205 (e-mail: )
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Araujo-Menendez CE, Saelzler UG, Stickel AM, Sundermann EE, Banks SJ, Paipilla A, Barnes ML, Panizzon MS. Associations Between Parity and Cognition: Race/Ethnic Differences. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 94:1157-1168. [PMID: 37393496 PMCID: PMC10473123 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Race/ethnicity is associated with differences in reproductive history and cognition individually, yet it remains an understudied factor in the relationship between parity and later-life cognition. OBJECTIVE To evaluate if the association between parity and cognition differs between racial/ethnic groups. METHODS Participants included 778 older, postmenopausal women from the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Latina: n = 178, Non-Latino Black [NLB]: n = 169, Non-Latino White [NLW]: n = 431) who self-reported at least one birth. Cognitive outcomes included working memory, learning memory, and verbal fluency. Covariates included age, education, cardiovascular and other reproductive health factors, adult socioeconomic status (SES) and depressive symptoms. We fit a series of linear models to examine a) whether parity was associated with cognitive functioning, b) if this association varied by race/ethnicity through parity by race/ethnicity interactions, and c) individual parity with cognition associations stratified by race/ethnicity. RESULTS In the full sample, parity was significantly negatively associated with Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) performance (b = -0.70, p = 0.024) but not Animal Fluency or word-list learning and memory. Tests of race/ethnicity-by-parity interactions were not statistically significant (ps > 0.05). However, stratified analyses by race/ethnicity showed a differential effect of parity on DSST performance, such that parity was significantly negatively associated with DSST performance (b = -1.66, p = 0.007) among Latinas but not in NLWs (b = -0.16, p = 0.74) or NLBs (b = -0.81, p = 0.191). CONCLUSION Among Latina, but not NLB or NLW women, greater parity was associated with worse processing speed/executive functioning later in life. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms driving racial/ethnic differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ursula G. Saelzler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ariana M. Stickel
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Erin E. Sundermann
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sarah J. Banks
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrea Paipilla
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - McKinna L. Barnes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Matthew S. Panizzon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
The dementia landscape has undergone a striking paradigm shift. The advances in understanding of neurodegeneration and proteinopathies has changed our approach to patients with cognitive impairment. Firstly, it has recently been shown that the various proteinopathies that are the cause of the dementia begin to build up long before the appearance of any obvious symptoms. This has cemented the idea that there is an urgency in diagnosis as it occurs very late in the pathophysiology of these diseases. Secondly, that accurate diagnosis is required to deliver targeted therapies, that is precision medicine. With this latter point, the realization that various factors of a person need to be considered as they may impact the presentation and progression of disease has risen to the forefront. Two of these factors aside from race and age are biological sex and gender (social construct), as both can have tremendous impact on manifestation of disease. This chapter will cover what is known and remains to be known on the interaction of sex and gender with some of the major causes of dementia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Salwierz
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carly Davenport
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vishaal Sumra
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M Florencia Iulita
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain; Women's Brain Project, Guntershausen, Switzerland
| | | | - Maria Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Memory Clinic, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nichols E, Ng DK, Hayat S, Langa KM, Lee J, Steptoe A, Deal JA, Gross AL. Differences in the measurement of cognition for the assessment of dementia across geographic contexts: Recommendations for cross-national research. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 19:10.1002/alz.12740. [PMID: 35841625 PMCID: PMC9891734 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Most cognitive assessments have been developed in high-income countries but are used in diverse contexts. Differences in culture and context may affect the performance of cognitive items. METHODS We used the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) surveys in the United States, Mexico, India, England, and South Africa (combined N = 11,364) to quantify associations across countries between cognitive items and cognitive impairment status using age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression. RESULTS Associations were stronger in the United States (median odds ratio [OR] across items = 0.17) and England (median OR = 0.19), compared to South Africa (median OR = 0.23), India (median OR = 0.29), and Mexico (median OR = 0.28). Items assessing memory (e.g., delayed recall tasks) had the most consistent associations of the largest magnitudes across contexts. DISCUSSION Transporting cognitive items among countries and cultures warrants caution. Our results can guide the design of future instruments by identifying items that performed well either in individual contexts or across the range of contexts considered. HIGHLIGHTS Little quantitative evidence exists to guide the design of cognitive assessments in cross-national studies. The performance of cognitive items for the measurement of dementia varied across countries. Items with lower variation across countries (e.g., delayed word recall) should be used in future cross-national assessments. Across countries, there was variability in the performance of language assessments, with the exception of the animal naming task. Results can be used to design future cross-national or location-specific cognitive assessments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Nichols
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Derek K. Ng
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shablina Hayat
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kenneth M. Langa
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- VA Center for Clinical Management Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jinkook Lee
- Department of Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew Steptoe
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jennifer A. Deal
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alden L. Gross
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhang Y. Fertility History and Risk of Cognitive Impairment Among Older Parents in the United States. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:2326-2337. [PMID: 35796743 PMCID: PMC9799211 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES I work from a gendered life-course perspective to examine the association between older parents' fertility history (i.e., timing and parity) and their risk of cognitive impairment in the United States. METHODS I analyze nationally representative data from 9 waves over 16 years of the Health and Retirement Study (2000-2016). The sample includes 14,543 respondents (6,108 men and 8,435 women) aged 50 and older at the baseline survey. I examine the relationship between parity, age at first birth, and age at last birth with risk of cognitive impairment using nonlinear discrete-time hazard models. RESULTS Adjusting for the effects of full covariates, there are U-shaped relationships between women's age at last birth and risk of cognitive impairment and between women's parity and risk of cognitive impairment. In the sensitivity tests, the relationships remain robust when sampling weights are applied, or mortality selection is corrected. DISCUSSION Fertility timing and parity are likely factors associated with the risk of cognitive impairment for older women. Understanding fertility history and its impact on cognition can help identify the most vulnerable subpopulations, so that more effective interventions can be made to improve cognitive functioning among older adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Address correspondence to: Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Zhou R, Liu HM, Zou LW, Wei HX, Huang YN, Zhong Q, Gu SY, Chen MF, Wang SL, Sun HX, Wu XB. Associations of Parity With Change in Global Cognition and Incident Cognitive Impairment in Older Women. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:864128. [PMID: 35601623 PMCID: PMC9114765 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.864128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The evidence of the association between parity and risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia is mixed, and the relationship between parity and longitudinal cognitive changes is less clear. We investigated these issues in a large population of older women who were carefully monitored for development of MCI and probable dementia. Methods Using the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study, 7,100 postmenopausal women (mean age 70.1 ± 3.8 years) with information on baseline parity (defined as the number of term pregnancies), measures of global cognition (Modified Mini-Mental State Examination score) from 1996–2007, and cognitive impairment (centrally adjudicated diagnoses of MCI and dementia) from 1996–2016 were included. Multivariable linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the rate of changes in global cognition. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the risk of MCI/dementia across parity groups. Results Over an average of 10.5 years, 465 new cases of MCI/dementia were identified. Compared with nulliparous women, those with a parity of 1–3 and ≥4 had a lower MCI/dementia risk. The HRs were 0.75 (0.56–0.99) and 0.71 (0.53–0.96), respectively (P < 0.01). Similarly, a parity of 1–3 and ≥4 was related to slower cognitive decline (β = 0.164, 0.292, respectively, P < 0.05). Conclusion Higher parity attenuated the future risk for MCI/dementia and slowed the rates of cognitive decline in elderly women. Future studies are needed to determine how parity affects late-life cognitive function in women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hua-Min Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lian-Wu Zou
- Department of Psychiatry, Baiyun Jingkang Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Xia Wei
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Ning Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shan-Yuan Gu
- Inpatient Department, Baiyun Jingkang Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming-Feng Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Baiyun Jingkang Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shao-Li Wang
- Clinical Laboratory, Baiyun Jingkang Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Xia Sun
- Department of Geriatrics, The 74th Army Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xian-Bo Wu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xian-Bo Wu,
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhang Y, Fletcher J. Parental status in later life and parents' risk of cognitive impairment. SSM Popul Health 2021; 16:100968. [PMID: 34825046 PMCID: PMC8605109 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental status can influence parents’ well-being in significant ways, but little research has examined its impact on older adults’ cognitive health in the U.S. Using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) 2011–2019, this study examines whether parental status is related to the risk of cognitive impairment among older adults in the U.S. We found that the presence of adult children (i.e., having at least one living adult child) was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment for older parents. Moreover, compared to childless older adults, older parents who had three and more children, who had adult daughter(s), and who had biological/adopted adult children displayed a significantly lower risk of cognitive impairment. This study highlights the importance of adult children as resources of support and caring that may benefit older parents’ cognitive health. The findings can help to identify the most vulnerable subpopulations among aging adults so that medical workers and policy makers can design effective strategies to protect cognitive function for those “at risk” older adults. Parental status is an important factor related to older adults’ cognitive health. Presence of adult children was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment than being childlessness. Having 3+ children, adult daughter(s), or biological children was associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jason Fletcher
- Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| |
Collapse
|