TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term environmental enrichment is associated with better fornix microstructure in older adults
AU - Klimecki, Olga M.
AU - Liebscher, Maxie
AU - Gaubert, Malo
AU - Hayek, Dayana
AU - Zarucha, Alexis
AU - Dyrba, Martin
AU - Bartels, Claudia
AU - Buerger, Katharina
AU - Butryn, Michaela
AU - Dechent, Peter
AU - Dobisch, Laura
AU - Ewers, Michael
AU - Fliessbach, Klaus
AU - Freiesleben, Silka Dawn
AU - Glanz, Wenzel
AU - Hetzer, Stefan
AU - Janowitz, Daniel
AU - Kilimann, Ingo
AU - Kleineidam, Luca
AU - Laske, Christoph
AU - Maier, Franziska
AU - Munk, Matthias H.
AU - Perneczky, Robert
AU - Peters, Oliver
AU - Priller, Josef
AU - Rauchmann, Boris Stephan
AU - Roy, Nina
AU - Scheffler, Klaus
AU - Schneider, Anja
AU - Spruth, Eike Jakob
AU - Spottke, Annika
AU - Teipel, Stefan J.
AU - Wiltfang, Jens
AU - Wolfsgruber, Steffen
AU - Yakupov, Renat
AU - Düzel, Emrah
AU - Jessen, Frank
AU - Wagner, Michael
AU - Roeske, Sandra
AU - Wirth, Miranka
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 Klimecki, Liebscher, Gaubert, Hayek, Zarucha, Dyrba, Bartels, Buerger, Butryn, Dechent, Dobisch, Ewers, Fliessbach, Freiesleben, Glanz, Hetzer, Janowitz, Kilimann, Kleineidam, Laske, Maier, Munk, Perneczky, Peters, Priller, Rauchmann, Roy, Scheffler, Schneider, Spruth, Spottke, Teipel, Wiltfang, Wolfsgruber, Yakupov, Düzel, Jessen, Wagner, Roeske, Wirth and the DELCODE study group.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: Sustained environmental enrichment (EE) through a variety of leisure activities may decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This cross-sectional cohort study investigated the association between long-term EE in young adulthood through middle life and microstructure of fiber tracts associated with the memory system in older adults. Methods: N = 201 cognitively unimpaired participants (≥ 60 years of age) from the DZNE-Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Study (DELCODE) baseline cohort were included. Two groups of participants with higher (n = 104) or lower (n = 97) long-term EE were identified, using the self-reported frequency of diverse physical, intellectual, and social leisure activities between the ages 13 to 65. White matter (WM) microstructure was measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in the fornix, uncinate fasciculus, and parahippocampal cingulum using diffusion tensor imaging. Long-term EE groups (lower/higher) were compared with adjustment for potential confounders, such as education, crystallized intelligence, and socio-economic status. Results: Reported participation in higher long-term EE was associated with greater fornix microstructure, as indicated by higher FA (standardized β = 0.117, p = 0.033) and lower MD (β = −0.147, p = 0.015). Greater fornix microstructure was indirectly associated (FA: unstandardized B = 0.619, p = 0.038; MD: B = −0.035, p = 0.026) with better memory function through higher long-term EE. No significant effects were found for the other WM tracts. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that sustained participation in a greater variety of leisure activities relates to preserved WM microstructure in the memory system in older adults. This could be facilitated by the multimodal stimulation associated with the engagement in a physically, intellectually, and socially enriched lifestyle. Longitudinal studies will be needed to support this assumption.
AB - Background: Sustained environmental enrichment (EE) through a variety of leisure activities may decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This cross-sectional cohort study investigated the association between long-term EE in young adulthood through middle life and microstructure of fiber tracts associated with the memory system in older adults. Methods: N = 201 cognitively unimpaired participants (≥ 60 years of age) from the DZNE-Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Study (DELCODE) baseline cohort were included. Two groups of participants with higher (n = 104) or lower (n = 97) long-term EE were identified, using the self-reported frequency of diverse physical, intellectual, and social leisure activities between the ages 13 to 65. White matter (WM) microstructure was measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in the fornix, uncinate fasciculus, and parahippocampal cingulum using diffusion tensor imaging. Long-term EE groups (lower/higher) were compared with adjustment for potential confounders, such as education, crystallized intelligence, and socio-economic status. Results: Reported participation in higher long-term EE was associated with greater fornix microstructure, as indicated by higher FA (standardized β = 0.117, p = 0.033) and lower MD (β = −0.147, p = 0.015). Greater fornix microstructure was indirectly associated (FA: unstandardized B = 0.619, p = 0.038; MD: B = −0.035, p = 0.026) with better memory function through higher long-term EE. No significant effects were found for the other WM tracts. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that sustained participation in a greater variety of leisure activities relates to preserved WM microstructure in the memory system in older adults. This could be facilitated by the multimodal stimulation associated with the engagement in a physically, intellectually, and socially enriched lifestyle. Longitudinal studies will be needed to support this assumption.
KW - Alzheimer’s disease
KW - brain plasticity
KW - brain reserve
KW - memory
KW - multimodal leisure activities
KW - prevention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170534372&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1170879
DO - 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1170879
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85170534372
SN - 1663-4365
VL - 15
JO - Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
JF - Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
M1 - 1170879
ER -