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Leisure‐time physical activity sustained since midlife and preservation of cognitive function: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Author(s) -
Palta Priya,
Sharrett A. Richey,
Deal Jennifer A.,
Evenson Kelly R.,
Gabriel Kelley Pettee,
Folsom Aaron R.,
Gross Alden L.,
Windham B. Gwen,
Knopman David,
Mosley Thomas H.,
Heiss Gerardo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.08.008
Subject(s) - dementia , hazard ratio , cognitive decline , gerontology , confidence interval , medicine , incidence (geometry) , cognition , risk factor , demography , physical therapy , psychology , disease , psychiatry , sociology , physics , optics
We tested the hypotheses that higher levels of and persistence of midlife leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) are associated long‐term with lower cognitive decline and less incident dementia. Methods A total of 10,705 participants (mean age: 60 years) had LTPA (no, low, middle, or high) measured in 1987‐1989 and 1993‐1995. LTPA was assessed in relation to incident dementia and 14‐year change in general cognitive performance. Results Over a median follow‐up of 17.4 years, 1063 dementia cases were observed. Compared with no LTPA, high LTPA in midlife was associated with lower incidence of dementia (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.71 [0.61, 0.86]) and lower declines in general cognitive performance (−0.07 standard deviation difference [−0.12 to −0.04]). These associations were stronger when measured against persistence of midlife LTPA over 6 years. Discussion LTPA is a readily modifiable factor associated inversely with long‐term dementia incidence and cognitive decline.