Logo image
Back
EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN RELATION TO FRAILTY AND WHOLE-BRAIN STRUCTURAL HEALTH IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, AND NORMAL AGING: RESULTS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN IMAGING, BIOMARKERS AND LIFESTYLE FLAGSHIP STUDY OF AGEING (AIBL)
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN RELATION TO FRAILTY AND WHOLE-BRAIN STRUCTURAL HEALTH IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, AND NORMAL AGING: RESULTS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN IMAGING, BIOMARKERS AND LIFESTYLE FLAGSHIP STUDY OF AGEING (AIBL)

Xiaowei Song, Navjot Dhindsa, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Hui Guo, An Zeng, Belinda M. Brown, David Ames, Colin L. Masters, Olivier Salvado, Christopher C. Rowe, …
Alzheimer's & dementia, Vol.13(7S_Part 13), p.P639
2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.735
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.735View
Published (Version of Record) Open

Abstract

Background Recent studies have implicated the impact of frailty and structural brain health on dementia, while higher levels of education and physical activity can reduce dementia risks. Here we investigated the association of education and physical activity with frailty and structural brain changes, using data from the multi-center Australian Imaging, Biomarkers & Lifestyle (AIBL) Study of Ageing. Methods Participants with AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or normal controls (NC), who had 3.0T T1-weighted MRI and clinical and cognitive assessments were included in the analysis (n=494, mean age=73.3±6.6 years, women=56.7%). A deficit accumulation-based frailty index (FI) was constructed using 33 variables assessing medical history, disease symptoms, vital signs and blood-test results, and calculated for each participant as a ratio of all deficits presented (a greater value meaning frailer). A brain atrophy and lesion index (BALI) was evaluated by assessing and integrating seven categories of brain changes commonly seen in the older adults’ brain, and calculated for each participant as a ratio of all structural deficits on MRI (a greater value meaning more deficits). Differences in the years of education, physical activity (MET minutes), and other characteristics between diagnoses were examined using Wallis-Kruskal Chi2test. The correlations of the BALI and FI, and their relationships with age and cognitive testing scores were examined, and compared by level of education and physical activity. Results Participants with AD displayed a marginally lower average level of education and physical activity (p's>0.05) The BALI and FI scores were significantly correlated (R=0.10, p=0.014), each varied by diagnosis and was related to age, cognition, and the level of physical activity (R>0.11, p's<0.050). Participants with high education and physical activity showed the lowest mean FI and BALI, in contrast to the highest FI and BALI scores in those with low education and low physical activity (Chi2=3.11, p=0.020 for FI and Chi2=2.45, p=0.049 for BALI). Conclusions Higher levels of education and physical activity are associated with a better status of both general health and brain health, related to a reduced risk of dementia.

Details

Metrics

18 Record Views
Logo image