QUANTIFYING THE DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF COGNITIVE ACTIVITY

这项建议寻求支持，以检查在非残疾老年妇女的前瞻性观察性队列研究中收集的辅助数据，以评估并开始开发可靠地测量认知活动的工具。具体目标是：L)评估和验证认知活动测量的派生量表、频率、强度和广度，以及2)使用妇女健康与老龄化研究(WHAS)II中提供的丰富数据集，开始开发人口统计和健康特征的概念框架，可能中介认知活动和认知功能长期维持之间的关联。解决这些目标将有助于洞察定期认知活动的潜在好处，并有助于确定是否需要更多地促进社会机构，以增加老年人进行认知刺激活动的机会。研究参与者是以人口为基础的436名社区居住妇女的样本，她们在1994-95年和整个3年的随访中，基线年龄为70-80岁，认知和身体功能都很高。他们完成了三次全面的考试，每一次相隔18个月，其中包括关于过去一年参与认知活动的广泛问卷。检查在约翰霍普金斯大学门诊综合临床研究中心的功能状态实验室进行，包括对认知、身体功能以及心理和身体健康史的全面评估。由于WHAS II已经获得了继续评估功能衰退的自然历史的资金，我预计从这笔赠款中获得的结果将推动和指导关于认知活动可能对认知和日常身体功能的临床前衰退所起作用的更多研究。它还将为针对高危群体和开发有效的大规模干预试验提供见解。

This proposal seeks support to examine ancillary data being collected in a prospective, observational cohort stud of non-disabled, older women to evaluate and begin developing an instrument to reliably measure cognitive activity. The specific aims are to: l) evaluate and validate the derivative scales of our cognitive activity measures, frequency, intensity, and breadth, and 2) to use the rich data set available in the Women's Health and Aging Study (WHAS) II to begin to develop a conceptual framework of demographic and health characteristics that may mediate associations between cognitive activity and the long-term maintenance of cognitive fiinction. Addressing these objectives will provide insight into the potential benefits derived from regular cognitive activity and help determine whether there is a need for greater promotion of social institutions that enhance older adults' opportunities for cognitively stimulating activity. Study participants are a population-based sample of 436 community-dwelling women ho were 70-80 years of age at baseline and cognitively and physically high functioning in 1994-95 and throughout a 3-year follow-up. They have completed 3 comprehensive examinations, each 18 months apart, which include extensive questionnaire about participation over the past year in cognitive activities. Examinations are performed the Functional Status Laboratory of the Outpatient General Clinical Research Center at Johns Hopkins, and include comprehensive assessment of cognition, physical function, and mental and physical health history. Because the WHAS II has obtained funding for continued assessment of the natural history of functional decline, I anticipate that results obtained from this grant will propel and guide additional research on the role that cognitive activity ma lay on preclinical declines in both cognition and in everyday physical functions. It will also provide insights for targeting at-risk groups and for developing effective, large-scale intervention trials.