Social support and cognition in a community-based cohort: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.
social support has demonstrated cross-sectional associations with greater cognitive function and a protective effect against cognitive decline in older adults, but exploration of its temporal role in cognitive ageing from mid-life to older adulthood has been limited. We aimed to quantify the associations of social support, assessed at mid-life, with cognitive function in mid-life and with cognitive decline into late life among African Americans and Caucasians.



data from the community-based, prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort of 15,792 biracial participants were examined for baseline and longitudinal associations of mid-life social support with global cognition at mid-life and with 20-year change in global cognition, respectively, stratified by race. Interactions with sociodemographic and cardiometabolic covariates were additionally explored within each race group. Social support was ascertained using two metrics: interpersonal support and social network.



interpersonal support was directly associated with greater global cognition at baseline in both race groups. Social network was directly associated with greater global cognition at baseline among Caucasians and African American females, but it was not significantly associated with global cognition in African American males. Neither mid-life social support measure was associated with 20-year change in global cognition.



higher levels of social support were moderately associated with greater multi-dimensional cognitive function at mid-life, but mid-life social support was not associated with temporal change in global cognitive function over 20 years into late life. Prospective studies with time-dependent measures of social support and cognition are needed to better understand the role of social engagement in ageing-related cognitive functioning.
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Dmitry
D
Kats
Center for Observational and Real World Evidence, Merck & Co., Inc., North Wales, PA, USA.
Mehul D
MD
Patel
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Priya
P
Palta
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Michelle L
ML
Meyer
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Alden L
AL
Gross
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Eric A
EA
Whitsel
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
David
D
Knopman
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Alvaro
A
Alonso
Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
Thomas H
TH
Mosley
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Gerardo
G
Heiss
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D000066492:Cognitive Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D065840:Protective Factors; D000072858:Psychosocial Support Systems; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*
cognition; cognitive; older people; psychosocial; social; social support; support