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Leisure Activity, Brain β‐amyloid, and Episodic Memory in Adults with Down Syndrome
Author(s) -
Mihaila Iulia,
Handen Benjamin L.,
Christian Bradley T.,
Lao Patrick J.,
Cody Karly A.,
Klunk William E.,
Tudorascu Dana L.,
Cohen Annie D.,
Okonkwo Ozioma C.,
Hartley Sigan L.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
developmental neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.716
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1932-846X
pISSN - 1932-8451
DOI - 10.1002/dneu.22677
Subject(s) - biology , episodic memory , neuroscience , amyloid (mycology) , cognitive psychology , psychology , cognition , botany
The present study provided an investigation of associations between leisure activity and early Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology (i.e., brain β‐amyloid) and episodic memory in a sample of 65 adults with Down syndrome (aged 30–53 years), at baseline and follow‐up, approximately three years apart. Findings indicated that leisure activity at baseline was not associated with brain β‐amyloid at baseline or change in brain β‐amyloid from baseline to follow‐up. Greater cognitively stimulating leisure activity at baseline was associated with better episodic memory at baseline, and greater social leisure activity at baseline was associated with less decline in episodic memory from baseline to follow‐up. High (as opposed to low) levels of social and overall leisure activity at baseline moderated the association between increase in brain β‐amyloid and decline in episodic memory, from baseline to follow‐up. Findings suggest that cognitively stimulating and social leisure activity could protect against the effect of Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology on episodic memory in adults with Down syndrome.