TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmental enrichment is associated with favorable memory-related functional brain activity patterns in older adults
AU - for DELCODE study group
AU - Hass, Simon
AU - Liebscher, Maxie
AU - Richter, Anni
AU - Fliessbach, Klaus
AU - Laske, Christoph
AU - Sodenkamp, Sebastian
AU - Peters, Oliver
AU - Hellmann-Regen, Julian
AU - Ersözlü, Ersin
AU - Priller, Josef
AU - Spruth, Eike Jakob
AU - Altenstein, Slawek
AU - Röske, Sandra
AU - Schneider, Anja
AU - Schütze, Hartmut
AU - Spottke, Annika
AU - Esser, Anna
AU - Teipel, Stefan
AU - Kilimann, Ingo
AU - Wiltfang, Jens
AU - Rostamzadeh, Ayda
AU - Glanz, Wenzel
AU - Incesoy, Enise I.
AU - Lüsebrink, Falk
AU - Dechent, Peter
AU - Hetzer, Stefan
AU - Scheffler, Klaus
AU - Wagner, Michael
AU - Jessen, Frank
AU - Düzel, Emrah
AU - Glöckner, Franka
AU - Schott, Björn Hendrik
AU - Wirth, Miranka
AU - Klimecki, Olga
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 Hass, Liebscher, Richter, Fliessbach, Laske, Sodenkamp, Peters, Hellmann-Regen, Ersözlü, Priller, Spruth, Altenstein, Röske, Schneider, Schütze, Spottke, Esser, Teipel, Kilimann, Wiltfang, Rostamzadeh, Glanz, Incesoy, Lüsebrink, Dechent, Hetzer, Scheffler, Wagner, Jessen, Düzel, Glöckner, Schott, Wirth and Klimecki.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Background: In humans, environmental enrichment (EE), as measured by the engagement in a variety of leisure activities, has been associated with larger hippocampal structure and better memory function. The present cross-sectional study assessed whether EE during early life (13–30 years) and midlife (30–65 years) is associated with better preserved memory-related brain activity patterns in older age. Methods: In total, 372 cognitively unimpaired older adults (aged ≥60 years old) of the DZNE-Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (DELCODE; DRKS00007966) were investigated. EE was operationalized using items of the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire (LEQ), which measures the self-reported participation in a variety of leisure activities in early life and midlife. The preservation of memory-related functional brain activity was assessed using single-value scores, which relate older adults’ brain activity patterns in the temporo-parieto-occipital memory network to those of young adults during visual memory encoding (FADE and SAME scores). Results: EE during early life and midlife was significantly associated with higher SAME scores during novelty processing (n = 372, β = 0.13, p = 0.011). Thus, older participants with higher EE showed greater similarity of functional brain activity patterns during novelty processing with young adults. This positive association was observed most strongly in participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD, n = 199, β = 0.20, p = 0.006). Conclusion: More frequent participation in a variety of leisure activities in early life and midlife is associated with more successful aging of functional brain activity patterns in the memory network of older adults, including participants at increased risk for dementia. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify whether higher EE during life could help preserve memory network function in later life.
AB - Background: In humans, environmental enrichment (EE), as measured by the engagement in a variety of leisure activities, has been associated with larger hippocampal structure and better memory function. The present cross-sectional study assessed whether EE during early life (13–30 years) and midlife (30–65 years) is associated with better preserved memory-related brain activity patterns in older age. Methods: In total, 372 cognitively unimpaired older adults (aged ≥60 years old) of the DZNE-Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (DELCODE; DRKS00007966) were investigated. EE was operationalized using items of the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire (LEQ), which measures the self-reported participation in a variety of leisure activities in early life and midlife. The preservation of memory-related functional brain activity was assessed using single-value scores, which relate older adults’ brain activity patterns in the temporo-parieto-occipital memory network to those of young adults during visual memory encoding (FADE and SAME scores). Results: EE during early life and midlife was significantly associated with higher SAME scores during novelty processing (n = 372, β = 0.13, p = 0.011). Thus, older participants with higher EE showed greater similarity of functional brain activity patterns during novelty processing with young adults. This positive association was observed most strongly in participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD, n = 199, β = 0.20, p = 0.006). Conclusion: More frequent participation in a variety of leisure activities in early life and midlife is associated with more successful aging of functional brain activity patterns in the memory network of older adults, including participants at increased risk for dementia. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify whether higher EE during life could help preserve memory network function in later life.
KW - dementia
KW - memory network
KW - multimodal leisure activities
KW - prevention
KW - subjective cognitive decline
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214249837&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1451850
DO - 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1451850
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85214249837
SN - 1663-4365
VL - 16
JO - Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
JF - Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
M1 - 1451850
ER -