Lifestyle Engagement Affects Executive Functions: Comparing Cognitively Elite, Normal, and Impaired Older Adults

In a recent report from the Victoria Longitudinal Study (VLS), we observed a multidimensional (3-factor) structure for six executive function (EF) tests in cognitively elite (CE) older adults, a unidimensional structure for cognitively impaired (CI) older adults, and mixed structure for the cognitively normal (CN) older adults (de Frias, Dixon, & Strauss, 2009). The three EF constructs were “Shifting” (Color Trails, Brixton), “Inhibition” (Stroop, Hayling), and “Updating” (Reading and Computational Span). In this study, we examine whether (a) there are cognitive status (CE, CN, CI) differences in the kind and degree of everyday lifestyle activities, and (b) an engaged lifestyle moderates or mediates the effects of cognitive status on EF. Level of cognitive, social, and physical engagement was assessed using the VLS-Activity Lifestyle Questionnaire (VLS-ALQ: Hultsch et al., 1999). Participants (N=501, 53 to 90 years) were from the VLS (Sample 3, Wave 1). MANOVAs showed that CE adults more frequently seek cognitive engagement relative to CN and CI adults. Moderator analyses (hierarchical regressions) showed that CI adults who are engaged in social activities have better EF than those who are less socially engaged. CI adults with high social engagement perform similarly on EF to CN adults. In fact, CI adults with low social engagement do not show this pattern. The association between cognitive status (CI, CN, CE) and executive function is partially mediated by lifestyle engagement (especially cognitive engagement). Studies of EF and aging will benefit from considering concurrent cognitive status and everyday lifestyle engagement.