title: Association between Lifetime Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning in Middle-Aged and Older Community Dwelling Adults: Results from the Brain in Motion Study.
abstract: To determine if total lifetime physical activity (PA) is associated with better cognitive functioning with aging and if cerebrovascular function mediates this association. A sample of 226 (52.2% female) community dwelling middle-aged and older adults (66.5 ± 6.4 years) in the Brain in Motion Study, completed the Lifetime Total Physical Activity Questionnaire and underwent neuropsychological and cerebrovascular blood flow testing. Multiple robust linear regressions were used to model the associations between lifetime PA and global cognition after adjusting for age, sex, North American Adult Reading Test results (i.e., an estimate of premorbid intellectual ability), maximal aerobic capacity, body mass index and interactions between age, sex, and lifetime PA. Mediation analysis assessed the effect of cerebrovascular measures on the association between lifetime PA and global cognition. Post hoc analyses assessed past year PA and current fitness levels relation to global cognition and cerebrovascular measures. Better global cognitive performance was associated with higher lifetime PA (p=.045), recreational PA (p=.021), and vigorous intensity PA (p=.004), PA between the ages of 0 and 20 years (p=.036), and between the ages of 21 and 35 years (p.5), but partially mediated the relation between current fitness and global cognition. This study revealed significant associations between higher levels of PA (i.e., total lifetime, recreational, vigorous PA, and past year) and better cognitive function in later life. Current fitness levels relation to cognitive function may be partially mediated through current cerebrovascular function.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Medical Sciences,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research,Cancer Control Alberta,Alberta Health Services,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Friedenreich
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Tolulope T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Sajobi
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: R Stewart
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Longman
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Lauren L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Drogos
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Margie H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Davenport
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Amanda V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Tyndall
authors.affiliation: 9Department of Physiology & Pharmacology,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Gail A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Eskes
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: 12Department of Medical Genetics,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Jillian S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Parboosingh
authors.affiliation: 11Department of Medicine,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Ben J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute,Cumming School of Medicine,University of Calgary,Calgary,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Poulin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis
keywords: Aging; Cerebrovascular Function; Exercise; Humans; Prevention; Questionnaires