Social Activity and Cognitive Functioning over Time: A Coordinated Analysis of Four Longitudinal Studies

Authors

Cassandra L. Brown, University of Victoria, Canada
Laura E. Gibbons, University of Washington
Robert F. Kennison, California State University
Annie Robitaille, University of Victoria, Canada
Magnus Lindwall, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Meghan B. Mitchell, Harvard Medical School
Steven D. Shirk, Harvard Medical School
Alireza Atri, Harvard Medical School
Cynthia R. Cimino, University of South FloridaFollow
Andreana Benitez, Medical University of South Carolina
Stuart W.S. MacDonald, University of Victoria, Canada
Elizabeth M. Zelinski, University of Southern California
Sherry L. Willis, University of Washington
K. Warner Schaie, University of Washington
Boo Johannson, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Roger A. Dixon, University of Alberta
Dan M. Mungas, University of California
Scott M. Hofer, University of Victoria
Andrea M. Piccinin, University of Victoria, Canada

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Keywords

Social activity, Cognitive functions

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/287438

Abstract

Social activity is typically viewed as part of an engaged lifestyle that may help mitigate the deleterious effects of advanced age on cognitive function. As such, social activity has been examined in relation to cognitive abilities later in life. However, longitudinal evidence for this hypothesis thus far remains inconclusive. The current study sought to clarify the relationship between social activity and cognitive function over time using a coordinated data analysis approach across four longitudinal studies. A series of multilevel growth models with social activity included as a covariate is presented. Four domains of cognitive function were assessed: reasoning, memory, fluency, and semantic knowledge. Results suggest that baseline social activity is related to some, but not all, cognitive functions. Baseline social activity levels failed to predict rate of decline in most cognitive abilities. Changes in social activity were not consistently associated with cognitive functioning. Our findings do not provide consistent evidence that changes in social activity correspond to immediate benefits in cognitive functioning, except perhaps for verbal fluency.

Rights Information

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Journal of Aging Research, v. 2012, art. 287438

Scholar Commons Citation

Brown, Cassandra L.; Gibbons, Laura E.; Kennison, Robert F.; Robitaille, Annie; Lindwall, Magnus; Mitchell, Meghan B.; Shirk, Steven D.; Atri, Alireza; Cimino, Cynthia R.; Benitez, Andreana; MacDonald, Stuart W.S.; Zelinski, Elizabeth M.; Willis, Sherry L.; Schaie, K. Warner; Johannson, Boo; Dixon, Roger A.; Mungas, Dan M.; Hofer, Scott M.; and Piccinin, Andrea M., "Social Activity and Cognitive Functioning over Time: A Coordinated Analysis of Four Longitudinal Studies" (2012). Psychology Faculty Publications. 83.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/psy_facpub/83