Cognitive Reserve Attenuates 6-Year Decline in Executive Functioning after Stroke

Andreas Ihle; Élvio R Gouveia; Bruna R Gouveia; Boris Cheval; Stefan Sieber; Stéphane Cullati; Matthias Kliegel

doi:10.1159/000506877

Cognitive Reserve Attenuates 6-Year Decline in Executive Functioning after Stroke

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2019;48(5-6):349-353. doi: 10.1159/000506877. Epub 2020 Mar 25.

Authors

Andreas Ihle^{1

2

3}, Élvio R Gouveia^{4

5

6}, Bruna R Gouveia^{4

6

7

8}, Boris Cheval^{9

10}, Stefan Sieber^{11

12}, Stéphane Cullati^{13

14}, Matthias Kliegel^{15

4

11}

Affiliations

¹ Cognitive Aging Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, Andreas.Ihle@unige.ch.
² Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, Andreas.Ihle@unige.ch.
³ Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming vulnerability: Life course perspectives, Geneva, Switzerland, Andreas.Ihle@unige.ch.
⁴ Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal.
⁶ LARSyS, Interactive Technologies Institute, Funchal, Portugal.
⁷ Health Administration Institute, Secretary of Health of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal.
⁸ Saint Joseph of Cluny Higher School of Nursing, Funchal, Portugal.
⁹ Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
¹⁰ Laboratory for the Study of Emotion Elicitation and Expression (E3Lab), Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
¹¹ Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming vulnerability: Life course perspectives, Geneva, Switzerland.
¹² Institute of Demography and Socioeconomics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
¹³ Population Health Laboratory, Department of Community Health, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
¹⁴ Quality of Care Service, Department of Readaptation and Geriatrics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
¹⁵ Cognitive Aging Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

PMID: 32209793
DOI: 10.1159/000506877

Abstract

Aims: We investigated whether the longitudinal relationship between history of stroke and subsequent decline in executive functioning over 6 years differed by cognitive reserve.

Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data from 897 older adults (mean age, 74.33 years) tested on the Trail Making Test (TMT) in two waves 6 years apart. Participants reported information on key frequently used proxies of lifelong cognitive reserve accumulation (i.e., education, occupation, and leisure activity engagement), and history of stroke.

Results: There was a significant interaction of stroke with leisure activity engagement on latent change in executive functioning. Specifically, only for individuals with low (but not those with high) leisure activity engagement, history of stroke significantly predicted a steeper subsequent decline in executive functioning across 6 years (i.e., increases in TMT completion time).

Conclusion: The detrimental aftereffects of stroke on subsequent decline in executive functioning may be attenuated in individuals who have accumulated greater cognitive reserve through leisure activity engagement across their life.

Keywords: Cognitive reserve; Decline in executive functioning; Leisure activities; Stroke.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Cognitive Dysfunction* / diagnosis
Cognitive Dysfunction* / etiology
Cognitive Dysfunction* / psychology
Cognitive Reserve*
Disease Progression
Executive Function*
Female
Humans
Leisure Activities / psychology*
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Stroke / complications*
Trail Making Test