Early- to late-life environmental factors and late-life global cognition in septuagenarian and octogenarians: The SONIC study

This study aimed to evaluate cognitively stimulating environments throughout life and to examine direct and indirect associations between these environments and late-life cognition. Early-life education, three domains of work complexity (data, people, and things) based on the longest-held occupation, and engagement in late-life leisure activities (LAs) were assessed. A structural equation model was developed using cross-sectional data of 1721 Japanese older adults in 70 +/- 1 and 80 +/- 1 years. The model confirmed significant direct effects of work complexity with data and late-life LAs on late-life cognitive performance. The associations of education and work complexity with late-life cognition were mediated through the subsequent environment(s). However, the total effects of work complexity with people and things on late-life cognition were insignificant. The findings suggest that cognitively stimulating activities in adulthood and beyond may lead to individual differences in late-life global cognition. In addition, antecedent complex environments might make subsequent life environments more cognitively stimulating. The results are discussed from the perspectives of cognitive plasticity and environmental complexity.

Automated summary

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of cognitively stimulating environments throughout life on late-life cognition. The researchers assessed early-life education, work complexity, and engagement in late-life leisure activities. The results showed that work complexity in the data domain and late-life leisure activities directly influenced late-life cognitive performance. The effects of education and work complexity on late-life cognition were mediated through subsequent environments. However, the effects of work complexity in the people and things domains were insignificant. The findings suggest that engaging in cognitively stimulating activities in adulthood and beyond may have long-term effects on cognitive function in late life.