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Cognitive leisure activities and future risk of cognitive impairment and dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2016

Lauren A Yates ,
Shier Ziser ,
Aimee Spector  and
Martin Orrell
Lauren A Yates*
Affiliation:
Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
Shier Ziser
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, University College London (UCL), London, UK
Aimee Spector
Affiliation:
Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London (UCL), London, UK
Martin Orrell
Affiliation:
Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Lauren Yates, B Floor, School of Medicine, Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham NG7 2TU, UK. Phone: +0115 748 4208. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background:

As life expectancies continue to rise, modifiable lifestyle factors that may prevent cognitive decline and dementia in later life become increasingly important in order to maintain quality of life in old age.

Methods:

Five meta-analyses were conducted on data from papers identified in a systematic review. Studies were grouped according to outcomes (dementia, cognitive impairment including amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and cognitive decline) and output (risk (RR), odds (OR), or hazard ratios (HR)).

Results:

Nineteen studies met our inclusion criteria and quality assessments. Four of five meta-analyses showed significant associations between participation in cognitive leisure activities and reduced risk of cognitive impairment (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56–0.85) and dementia (HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.46–0.74; RR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42–0.90; OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67–0.90). However, one pooled analysis of cognitive impairment studies did not reach significance (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71–1.02). Mentally stimulating leisure activities were significantly associated with later life cognition (β = 0.11, p = 0.05), better memory (β = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.11–0.29), speed of processing (β = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.29–0.45), and executive functioning (β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.15–0.29), and less decline in overall cognition (β = −0.23, p < 0.01), language (β = −0.11, p < 0.05), and executive functioning (β = −0.13, p < 0.05). Activities were also shown to reduce rate of cognitive decline (estimate = 0.03, SE = 0.01, p = 0.00).

Conclusions:

There is increasing evidence that participation in cognitively stimulating leisure activities may contribute to a reduction of risk of dementia and cognitive impairment in later life. Promoting involvement in such activities across lifespan could be an important focus for primary prevention strategies for governments and health services.

Keywords

cognitive impairmentcognitive activitycognitive reservedementiarisk factorsleisure activities
Type
Review Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 28 , Issue 11 , November 2016 , pp. 1791 - 1806
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2016 

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