title: Association Between Mentally Stimulating Activities in Late Life and the Outcome of Incident Mild Cognitive Impairment, With an Analysis of the APOE ε4 Genotype.
abstract: Cross-sectional associations between engagement in mentally stimulating activities and decreased odds of having mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer disease have been reported. However, little is known about the longitudinal outcome of incident MCI as predicted by late-life (aged ≥70 years) mentally stimulating activities.
  
  
  
  To test the hypothesis of an association between mentally stimulating activities in late life and the risk of incident MCI and to evaluate the influence of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype.
  
  
  
  This investigation was a prospective, population-based cohort study of participants in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Participants 70 years or older who were cognitively normal at baseline were followed up to the outcome of incident MCI. The study dates were April 2006 to June 2016.
  
  
  
  At baseline, participants provided information about mentally stimulating activities within 1 year before enrollment into the study. Neurocognitive assessment was conducted at baseline, with evaluations at 15-month intervals. Cognitive diagnosis was made by an expert consensus panel based on published criteria. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models after adjusting for sex, age, and educational level.
  
  
  
  The final cohort consisted of 1929 cognitively normal persons (median age at baseline, 77 years [interquartile range, 74-82 years]; 50.4% [n = 973] female) who were followed up to the outcome of incident MCI. During a median follow-up period of 4.0 years, it was observed that playing games (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65-0.95) and engaging in craft activities (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.57-0.90), computer use (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.57-0.85), and social activities (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.94) were associated with a decreased risk of incident MCI. In a stratified analysis by APOE ε4 carrier status, the data point toward the lowest risk of incident MCI for APOE ɛ4 noncarriers who engage in mentally stimulating activities (eg, computer use: HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.58-0.92) and toward the highest risk of incident MCI for APOE ɛ4 carriers who do not engage in mentally stimulating activities (eg, no computer use: HR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.33-2.27).
  
  
  
  Cognitively normal elderly individuals who engage in specific mentally stimulating activities even in late life have a decreased risk of incident MCI. The associations may vary by APOE ε4 carrier status.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic Translational Neuroscience and Aging Program, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krell-Roesch
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Prashanthi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vemuri
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic Translational Neuroscience and Aging Program, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pink
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota4Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Rosebud O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Gorazd B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Stokin
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mielke
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Teresa J H
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Christianson
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Knopman
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota4Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Walter K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kremers
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic Translational Neuroscience and Aging Program, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona3Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota7Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona8Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.
authors.forename: Yonas E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Geda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010988:Play and Playthings; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4