Affiliation:
1. Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
2. Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
The early environment is thought to be a critical period in understanding the cognitive health disparities African Americans face today. Much is known about the positive role enriching environments have in mid- and late-life and the negative function adverse experiences have in childhood; however, little is known about the relationship between enriching childhood experiences and late-life cognition. The current study examines the link between a variety of enriching early-life activities and late-life cognitive functioning in a sample of sociodemographic at-risk older adults.
Method
This study used data from African Americans from the Brain and Health Substudy of the Baltimore Experience Corps Trial (M = 67.2, SD = 5.9; N = 93). Participants completed a battery of neuropsychological assessments and a seven-item retrospective inventory of enriching activities before age 13.
Results
Findings revealed that a greater enriching early-life activity score was linked to favorable outcomes in educational attainment, processing speed, and executive functioning.
Discussion
Results provide promising evidence that enriching early environments are associated with late-life educational and cognitive outcomes. Findings support the cognitive reserve and engagement frameworks, and have implications to extend life-span prevention approaches when tackling age-related cognitive declines, diseases, and health disparities.
Funder
National Institute on Aging
Johns Hopkins Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Mental Health of Aging Research
Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Geriatrics and Gerontology,Gerontology,Clinical Psychology,Social Psychology
Cited by
29 articles.
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