Paradoxical cognitive trajectories in men from earlier to later adulthood

Graham M L Eglit; Jeremy A Elman; Mathew S Panizzon; Mark Sanderson-Cimino; McKenna E Williams; Anders M Dale; Lisa T Eyler; Christine Fennema-Notestine; Nathan A Gillespie; Daniel E Gustavson; Sean N Hatton; Donald J Hagler Jr; Richard L Hauger; Amy J Jak; Mark W Logue; Linda K McEvoy; Ruth E McKenzie; Michael C Neale; Olivia Puckett; Chandra A Reynolds; Rosemary Toomey; Xin M Tu; Nathan Whitsel; Hong Xian; Michael J Lyons; Carol E Franz; William S Kremen

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.10.002

Paradoxical cognitive trajectories in men from earlier to later adulthood

Neurobiol Aging. 2022 Jan:109:229-238. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.10.002. Epub 2021 Oct 14.

Authors

Graham M L Eglit¹, Jeremy A Elman², Mathew S Panizzon², Mark Sanderson-Cimino³, McKenna E Williams³, Anders M Dale⁴, Lisa T Eyler⁵, Christine Fennema-Notestine⁶, Nathan A Gillespie⁷, Daniel E Gustavson², Sean N Hatton⁸, Donald J Hagler Jr⁹, Richard L Hauger¹⁰, Amy J Jak¹¹, Mark W Logue¹², Linda K McEvoy⁹, Ruth E McKenzie¹³, Michael C Neale⁷, Olivia Puckett², Chandra A Reynolds¹⁴, Rosemary Toomey¹⁵, Xin M Tu², Nathan Whitsel², Hong Xian¹⁶, Michael J Lyons¹⁷, Carol E Franz¹⁷, William S Kremen¹⁸

Affiliations

¹ Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. Electronic address: geglit@health.ucsd.edu.
² Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program, San Diego, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁷ Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavior Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁹ Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
¹⁰ Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
¹¹ Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
¹² National Center for PTSD, Behavioral Sciences Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Psychiatry and Biomedical Genetics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
¹³ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; School of Education and Social Policy, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA, USA.
¹⁴ Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
¹⁶ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
¹⁷ Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.

PMID: 34785406
PMCID: PMC8715388
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.10.002

Abstract

Because longitudinal studies of aging typically lack cognitive data from earlier ages, it is unclear how general cognitive ability (GCA) changes throughout the life course. In 1173 Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (VETSA) participants, we assessed young adult GCA at average age 20 and current GCA at 3 VETSA assessments beginning at average age 56. The same GCA index was used throughout. Higher young adult GCA and better GCA maintenance were associated with stronger specific cognitive abilities from age 51 to 73. Given equivalent GCA at age 56, individuals who had higher age 20 GCA outperformed those whose GCA remained stable in terms of memory, executive function, and working memory abilities from age 51 to 73. Thus, paradoxically, despite poorer maintenance of GCA, high young adult GCA still conferred benefits. Advanced predicted brain age and the combination of elevated vascular burden and APOE-ε4 status were associated with poorer maintenance of GCA. These findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between peak and current GCA for greater understanding of cognitive aging.

Keywords: Cognitive aging; Dementia; General cognitive ability; Longitudinal studies; Neuropsychology.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aging / genetics
Aging / psychology*
Apolipoproteins E / metabolism
Brain / physiology*
Cognition*
Executive Function*
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Memory
Memory, Short-Term
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Twin Studies as Topic
Twins
Young Adult

Substances

Apolipoproteins E

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding