Cognitive reserve and lifestyle.

Full Abstract

The concept of cognitive reserve (CR) suggests that innate intelligence or aspects of life experience like educational or occupational attainments may supply reserve, in the form of a set of skills or repertoires that allows some people to cope with progressing Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology better than others. There is epidemiological evidence that lifestyle characterized by engagement in leisure activities of intellectual and social nature is associated with slower cognitive decline in healthy elderly and may reduce the risk of incident dementia. There is also evidence from functional imaging studies that subjects engaging in such leisure activities can clinically tolerate more AD pathology. It is possible that aspects of life experience like engagement in leisure activities may result in functionally more efficient cognitive networks and therefore provide a CR that delays the onset of clinical manifestations of dementia.

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Author information

Author/s: Scarmeas, Nikolaos (N); Stern, Yaakov (Y);

Affiliation: Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research in Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. ns257(-atsign-)columbia.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology (J Clin Exp Neuropsychol), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Aug; vol 25 (issue 5) : pp 625-33

Dates: Created 2003/06/19; Completed 2003/09/11; Revised 2008/04/14;

PMID: 12815500, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adaptation, Physiological
Adaptation, Psychological
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease - epidemiology; physiopathology
Brain
Cognition - physiology
Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; physiopathology
Educational Status
Exercise

Exercise
Health Behavior
Humans
Life Style
Middle Aged
Nerve Net - physiology
Neuronal Plasticity - physiology
Recruitment, Neurophysiological - physiology
Risk Factors
Severity of Illness Index

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