Mercuri Giulia, Holtzer Roee
Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York, 10461.
Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, 10461.
Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2021 May 21;36(4):485-497. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acaa066.
Openness has a positive association with cognitive functioning and engagement in cognitively stimulating activities (CSA). Older adults who engage in more CSA tend to show greater preservation of their cognitive skills; thus, we examined whether: higher Openness would be associated with higher attention/executive functions (AEF) and verbal memory; and CSA would mediate the relationship between Openness and AEF, as well as verbal memory.
477 community-dwelling older adults (65+ years) were included in the current cross-sectional study. Composite variables of AEF (TMT-A&B, COWAT, and DSST) and verbal memory (RBANS immediate and delayed verbal memory subtasks) were included. Openness was assessed via the Big-5 Inventory and CSA with the Leisure Activity Questionnaire.
477 community-dwelling older adults (65+ years) were included in the current cross-sectional study. Composite variables of AEF (TMT-A&B, COWAT, and DSST) and verbal memory (RBANS verbal memory subtasks) were included. Openness was assessed via the Big-5 Inventory and CSA with the Leisure Activity Questionnaire.
Linear regressions indicated a significant positive association between Openness and AEF (β = .09, p < .01), but not verbal memory (β = .06, p = .06). A significant partial mediation was demonstrated between Openness, CSA, and AEF (c: β = .08, p < .05, 95%CI = .02-.14; c': β = .02, 95%CI = .01-.03). The mediation of Openness, CSA, and verbal memory was not significant (c: β = .06, p > .05, 95%CI = .01-.11; c': β = .00, 95%CI = -.01-.01).
The association between Openness and AEF, but not verbal memory, was partially mediated by CSA in healthy older adults. The findings suggest that those who are more open to and highly engaged in CSA may have a later in life advantage in preserving their AEF abilities.
开放性与认知功能以及参与认知刺激活动（CSA）呈正相关。参与更多CSA的老年人往往表现出对认知技能的更大程度的保留；因此，我们研究了：更高的开放性是否与更高的注意力/执行功能（AEF）和言语记忆相关；以及CSA是否会介导开放性与AEF以及言语记忆之间的关系。
477名社区居住的老年人（65岁及以上）被纳入当前的横断面研究。纳入了AEF（数字符号替换测验A和B、波士顿命名测验、数字广度顺背和倒背）和言语记忆（RBANS即时和延迟言语记忆子任务）的综合变量。通过大五人格量表评估开放性，并使用休闲活动问卷评估CSA。
线性回归表明开放性与AEF之间存在显著正相关（β = 0.09，p < 0.01），但与言语记忆无关（β = 0.06，p = 0.06）。在开放性、CSA和AEF之间显示出显著的部分中介作用（c：β = 0.08，p < 0.05,95%CI = 0.02 - 0.14；c'：β = 0.02,95%CI = 0.01 - 0.03）。开放性、CSA和言语记忆之间的中介作用不显著（c：β = 0.06，p > 0.05,95%CI = 0.01 - 0.11；c'：β = 0.00,95%CI = -0.01 - 0.01）。
在健康老年人中，开放性与AEF之间的关联（而非与言语记忆之间的关联）部分由CSA介导。研究结果表明，那些对CSA更开放并高度参与其中的人在晚年保持其AEF能力方面可能具有优势。
