TY - JOUR
T1 - Associations of an individual's need for cognition with structural brain damage and cognitive functioning/impairment
T2 - cross-sectional population-based study
AU - Truin, Lotte S.
AU - Kohler, Sebastian
AU - Heger, Irene S.
AU - van Boxtel, Martin P. J.
AU - Schram, Miranda T.
AU - Backes, Walter H.
AU - Jansen, Jacobus F. A.
AU - van Dongen, Martien M. C. J. M.
AU - de Vries, Nanne K.
AU - de Vries, Hein
AU - Eussen, Simone J. P. M.
AU - Stehouwer, Coen D. A.
AU - de Vugt, Marjolein E.
AU - Deckers, Kay
PY - 2024/6/18
Y1 - 2024/6/18
N2 - Background High cognitive activity possibly reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Aims To investigate associations between an individual's need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities (need for cognition, NFC) and structural brain damage and cognitive functioning in the Dutch general population with and without existing cognitive impairment. Method Cross-sectional data were used from the population-based cohort of the Maastricht Study. NFC was measured using the Need For Cognition Scale. Cognitive functioning was tested in three domains: verbal memory, information processing speed, and executive functioning and attention. Values 1.5 s.d. below the mean were defined as cognitive impairment. Standardised volumes of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and presence of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) were derived from 3T magnetic resonance imaging. Multiple linear and binary logistic regression analyses were used adjusted for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors. Results Participants (n = 4209; mean age 59.06 years, s.d. = 8.58; 50.1% women) with higher NFC scores had higher overall cognition scores (B = 0.21, 95% CI 0.17-0.26, P < 0.001) and lower odds for CSVD (OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.60-0.91, P = 0.005) and cognitive impairment (OR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.48-0.76, P < 0.001) after adjustment for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors. The association between NFC score and cognitive functioning was similar for individuals with and without prevalent cognitive impairment. We found no significant association between NFC and WMH or CSF volumes. Conclusions A high need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities is associated with better cognitive functioning and less presence of CSVD and cognitive impairment. This suggests that, in middle-aged individuals, motivation to engage in cognitively stimulating activities may be an opportunity to improve brain health.
AB - Background High cognitive activity possibly reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Aims To investigate associations between an individual's need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities (need for cognition, NFC) and structural brain damage and cognitive functioning in the Dutch general population with and without existing cognitive impairment. Method Cross-sectional data were used from the population-based cohort of the Maastricht Study. NFC was measured using the Need For Cognition Scale. Cognitive functioning was tested in three domains: verbal memory, information processing speed, and executive functioning and attention. Values 1.5 s.d. below the mean were defined as cognitive impairment. Standardised volumes of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and presence of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) were derived from 3T magnetic resonance imaging. Multiple linear and binary logistic regression analyses were used adjusted for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors. Results Participants (n = 4209; mean age 59.06 years, s.d. = 8.58; 50.1% women) with higher NFC scores had higher overall cognition scores (B = 0.21, 95% CI 0.17-0.26, P < 0.001) and lower odds for CSVD (OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.60-0.91, P = 0.005) and cognitive impairment (OR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.48-0.76, P < 0.001) after adjustment for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors. The association between NFC score and cognitive functioning was similar for individuals with and without prevalent cognitive impairment. We found no significant association between NFC and WMH or CSF volumes. Conclusions A high need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities is associated with better cognitive functioning and less presence of CSVD and cognitive impairment. This suggests that, in middle-aged individuals, motivation to engage in cognitively stimulating activities may be an opportunity to improve brain health.
KW - Dementias/neurodegenerative diseases
KW - epidemiology
KW - cognitive neuroscience
KW - prevention
KW - mild cognitive impairment
KW - PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY QUESTIONNAIRE
KW - PARTICIPANTS AGED 24-81
KW - LIFE-STYLE
KW - NORMATIVE DATA
KW - OLDER-ADULTS
KW - DEMENTIA PREVENTION
KW - LEISURE ACTIVITIES
KW - INTERVENTION
KW - MAASTRICHT
KW - EDUCATION
U2 - 10.1192/bjp.2023.159
DO - 10.1192/bjp.2023.159
M3 - Article
SN - 0007-1250
VL - 224
SP - 189
EP - 197
JO - British Journal of Psychiatry
JF - British Journal of Psychiatry
IS - 6
ER -