Centre for Policy on Ageing



Use it or lose it — engaged lifestyle as a buffer of cognitive decline in aging?
Author(s)	David F Hultsch, Christopher Hertzog, Brent J Small
Journal title	Psychology and Aging, vol 14, no 2, June 1999
Pages	pp 245-264
Keywords	Cognitive processes ; Mental ageing ; Cognitive impairment ; Middle aged ; Longitudinal surveys ; Canada.
Annotation	Data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study (British Columbia, Canada) were used to examine the hypothesis that maintaining intellectual engagement through participation in everyday activities buffers individuals against cognitive decline in later life. The sample consisted of 250 middle-aged and older adults tested three times over 6 years. Structural equation modelling techniques were used to examine the relationships among changes in lifestyle and cognitive variables. There was a relationship between changes in intellectually related activities and changes in cognitive functioning. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that intellectually engaging activities serve to buffer people against decline. However, an alternative model suggested the findings were also consistent with the hypothesis that high-ability individuals lead intellectually active lives until cognitive decline in old age limits their activities. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-990825216 A
Classmark	DA: D6: E4: SE: 3J: 7S
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.