Relationships among young adult general cognitive ability, midlife physical activity, and early late-life cognitive functioning: A four-decade longitudinal cohort study in men.

INTRODUCTION

Research on whether physical activity (PA) is associated with cognition is abundant but very few studies have examined the extent to which prior cognitive ability may account for PA participation in midlife.

METHODS

Over 800 men self-reported PA at average ages of 40 and 56. General cognitive ability (GCA) was assessed at an average age of 20. Specific cognitive abilities and GCA were assessed at average ages of 56 and 68. Relationships among age 20 GCA, midlife PA, and cognitive functioning in mid- and late-life were examined with generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

Age 20 GCA was significantly associated with age 56 leisure metabolic equivalent of energy expenditure (MET)-hours of PA ( = 0.14,  = 0.027). Age 56 leisure MET-hours were positively ( = 0.04,  = 0.021) and age 40 vigorous leisure PA was inversely ( = -0.10,  = 0.012) associated with age 68 GCA ( = 0.04,  = 0.021).

DISCUSSION

There are reciprocal associations between PA and cognitive functioning.

HIGHLIGHTS

Young adult general cognitive ability (GCA) predicts midlife physical activity (PA).Midlife PA and cognition were not associated after adjusting for young adult GCA.Midlife PA is associated with later-life cognition, adjusted for young adult GCA.Work-related PA was inversely associated with later-life cognitive functioning.The relationship between PA and cognitive function is bidirectional.