University of Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France.
Ergonomics. 2010 Nov;53(11):1287-301. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2010.519125.
The study examined whether mental stimulation received in the workplace positively affects cognitive functioning and rate of cognitive change. Data taken from the VISAT (ageing, health and work) longitudinal study concerned 3237 workers who were seen three times (in 1996, 2001 and 2006) and who were aged between 32 and 62 years at baseline. Measures of cognitive stimulation both at work and outside work were available at baseline. Cognitive efficiency was assessed on the three occasions through episodic verbal memory, attention and processing speed tests. Greater cognitive stimulation (at work and outside work) was associated with higher levels of cognitive functioning and a more favourable change over the 10-year follow-up. These results were obtained after adjustment for age, education, sex and a variety of medical, physical and psychosocial confounders. The study thus supports the hypothesis that exposure to jobs that are mentally demanding and that offer learning opportunities increases the level of cognitive functioning and possibly attenuates age-related decline. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The effect of occupational activity on cognitive functioning is under-researched. This paper reports results from a substantive longitudinal study, with findings indicating that exposure to jobs that are mentally demanding are beneficial in increasing levels of cognitive functioning and possibly attenuating age-related decline.
该研究探讨了工作场所中接受的心理刺激是否会对认知功能和认知变化率产生积极影响。数据来自 VISAT（衰老、健康和工作）纵向研究，涉及 3237 名工人，他们在基线时分别于 1996 年、2001 年和 2006 年接受了三次检查，年龄在 32 至 62 岁之间。基线时提供了工作内外认知刺激的测量。通过情景口头记忆、注意力和处理速度测试，在这三个时间点评估认知效率。工作内外的认知刺激越多（工作和工作外），认知功能水平越高，在 10 年随访期间的变化越有利。这些结果是在调整年龄、教育、性别以及各种医学、身体和心理社会混杂因素后得出的。因此，该研究支持了这样一种假设，即接触需要脑力的工作和提供学习机会会提高认知功能水平，并可能减缓与年龄相关的衰退。相关性声明：职业活动对认知功能的影响研究不足。本文报告了一项实质性纵向研究的结果，研究结果表明，接触需要脑力的工作有助于提高认知功能水平，并可能减缓与年龄相关的衰退。
