Early Life Experiences are a Key Factor in Aging Mental Capacity

Much of what individuals experience early in life will influence choices, style and most importantly, memory down the road. For instance, those dealing with the hardships of a desperate financial situation may be more likely to experience cognitive issues sooner than those in a more comfortable living situation.

Now, a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Victoria, Canada, and the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center in California, found that the risk of cognitive impairment was much higher for individuals who had dealt with difficult living situations early in life.

"Declining cognitive function in older adults is a major personal and public health concern," said Bruce Reed professor of neurology and associate director of the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center, in a news release. "But not all people lose cognitive function, and understanding the remarkable variability in cognitive trajectories as people age is of critical importance for prevention, treatment and planning to promote successful cognitive aging and minimize problems associated with cognitive decline."

For the study, researchers interviewed 300 diverse men and women, 60 or older, who spoke either English or Spanish. All participants were recruited from senior citizen social, recreational and residential centers, including churches and health-care facilities. None of the participants had any diagnosed psychiatric illnesses or life threatening medical illnesses, and were Caucasian, African-American or Hispanic.

Through a series of multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluations, findings revealed that non-Latino Caucasians scored 20 to 25 percent higher on general knowledge tests and 13 to 15 percent higher on tests that involved executive functioning when compared to other ethnic groups.

However, when childhood socioeconomic status, adult literacy and the extent of routine physical activity came into play, these differences began to disappear. 

"This study is unusual in that it examines how many different life experiences affect cognitive decline in late life," said Dan Mungas, professor of neurology and associate director of the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. "It shows that variables like ethnicity and years of education that influence cognitive test scores in a single evaluation are not associated with rate of cognitive decline, but that specific life experiences like level of reading attainment and intellectually stimulating activities are predictive of the rate of late-life cognitive decline."

Researchers concluded that the most important part of staving off mental decline is, quite simply, keeping the brain and body "physically fit."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the study "Life Experiences and Demographic Influences on Cognitive Function in Older Adults," published in the journal Neuropsychology.