Activity Engagement and Cognitive Performance in Older and Younger Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Luo Minxia, Driver Charles, Scott Stacey, Zavala Daisy, Hall Charles, Roecke Christina
Primary Institution: University of Zurich
Hypothesis
Does activity engagement have short-term effects on cognitive performance across different age groups and demographics?
Conclusion
Activity engagement did not show short-term effects on processing speed and spatial working memory in diverse young and older populations.
Supporting Evidence
- The study included data from two different studies with a total of 542 participants.
- Participants engaged in various activities and completed cognitive assessments multiple times a day.
- No significant time-lagged associations were found between activity engagement and cognitive performance.
Takeaway
Doing activities like socializing or watching TV didn't help people think faster or remember things better, no matter their age or background.
Methodology
Participants reported their activity engagement multiple times a day and completed cognitive assessments using smartphones.
Limitations
The study did not find any significant associations, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Older adults aged 70 to 90 and younger adults aged 25 to 65, with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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