QUANTIFYING THE DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF COGNITIVE ACTIVITY

该提案寻求支持，以检查在对非残疾老年妇女进行前瞻性、观察性队列研究中收集的辅助数据，以评价并开始开发一种可靠测量认知活动的工具。具体目标是：l）评估和验证我们认知活动测量的衍生量表，频率，强度和广度，和2）使用妇女健康和老龄化研究（WHAS）II中可用的丰富数据集，开始开发人口统计学和健康特征的概念框架，该框架可能介导认知活动和认知功能的长期维持之间的关联。实现这些目标将有助于深入了解定期认知活动的潜在益处，并有助于确定是否需要进一步促进社会机构，以增加老年人进行认知刺激活动的机会。研究参与者是一个基于人口的样本436社区居住的妇女谁是70-80岁的基线和认知和身体高功能在1994-95年和整个3年的随访。他们完成了3次全面的检查，每隔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门诊综合临床研究中心的功能状态实验室进行，包括认知、身体功能以及精神和身体健康史的综合评估。由于WHAS II已经获得了继续评估功能下降自然史的资金，我预计从这笔赠款中获得的结果将推动和指导更多关于认知活动可能对认知和日常身体功能的临床前下降的作用的研究。它还将为针对高危人群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.