Department of Public Health, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2024 Jun 1;79(6). doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbae052.
It is well known that low educational attainment is associated with cognitive function decline in older age. Childhood book availability may help to preserve cognitive function in older adults with low education. The study objective was to examine the association between childhood book availability and cognitive function among older adults with low educational attainment, and to investigate the mediating effect of the volume of reading-related brain regions (e.g., superior temporal cortex).
A cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older Japanese adults aged 65-84 years was conducted (n = 474). Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Childhood book availability was assessed using a retrospective questionnaire. Brain region volume was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Multivariate regression modeling and structural equation modeling were used for analysis.
Both high educational attainment and childhood book availability were independently associated with high MMSE score. Stratification of educational level showed that childhood book availability was positively associated with MMSE score among participants with low educational attainment (coefficient = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31 to 2.66), but not among those with moderate or high educational attainment (coefficient = -0.01, 95% CI: -1.44 to 1.42 and -1.21, 95% CI: -3.85 to 1.42, respectively). Among participants with low educational attainment, left superior temporal cortex volume mediated the association between childhood book availability and MMSE score.
The availability of books in childhood helps to preserve cognitive function in older adults with low education via left superior temporal cortex volume. Further research is needed to replicate these findings.
众所周知，受教育程度较低与老年人认知功能下降有关。儿童读物的可获得性可能有助于提高受教育程度较低的老年人的认知功能。本研究旨在探讨儿童读物的可获得性与受教育程度较低的老年人认知功能之间的关系，并探讨阅读相关脑区（如颞上回）体积的中介作用。
对 65-84 岁的社区居住的日本老年人进行了横断面研究（n=474）。使用简易精神状态检查（MMSE）评估认知功能。使用回顾性问卷评估儿童时期书籍的可获得性。使用磁共振成像测量脑区体积。采用多元回归模型和结构方程模型进行分析。
高教育程度和儿童时期书籍的可获得性均与 MMSE 高分独立相关。教育水平分层显示，在受教育程度较低的参与者中，儿童时期书籍的可获得性与 MMSE 评分呈正相关（系数=1.48，95%置信区间[CI]：0.31 至 2.66），但在受教育程度中等或较高的参与者中则无相关性（系数= -0.01，95% CI：-1.44 至 1.42 和-1.21，95% CI：-3.85 至 1.42）。在受教育程度较低的参与者中，左颞上回体积介导了儿童时期书籍的可获得性与 MMSE 评分之间的关系。
儿童时期书籍的可获得性有助于通过左颞上回体积来保持受教育程度较低的老年人的认知功能。需要进一步的研究来复制这些发现。
