Skip to main content

Lower Risk for MCI, Dementia Seen With Cognitively Stimulating Occupations

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 18, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, April 17, 2024 -- Individuals with a history of cognitively stimulating occupations from ages 30 to 65 years have lower risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in later life, according to a study published online April 17 in Neurology.

Trine H. Edwin, M.D., Ph.D., from Oslo University Hospital in Norway, and colleagues examined the association between registry-based trajectories of occupational cognitive demands from ages 30 to 65 years and clinically diagnosed MCI and dementia at age 70 years and older. Occupational cognitive demands were measured by routine task intensity (RTI), with lower RTI indicating a more cognitively demanding occupation. The relative risk ratios (RRRs) of MCI and dementia were estimated after adjustment for multiple confounding variables.

The researchers identified four RTI trajectory groups based on longitudinal RTI scores for 305 unique occupations: low, intermediate-low, intermediate-high, and high RTI (20.4, 22.5, 37.1, and 19.9 percent, respectively). After adjusting for age, sex, and education, participants in the high versus the low RTI group had a higher risk for MCI and dementia (RRRs [95 percent confidence intervals], 1.74 [1.41 to 2.14] and 1.37 [1.01 to 1.86], respectively). The point estimates were not appreciably changed in a sensitivity analysis controlling for income and baseline health-related factors (RRRs [95 percent confidence intervals], 1.66 [1.35 to 2.06] and 1.31 [0.96 to 1.78], respectively).

"These results indicate that both education and occupational cognitive demands play a crucial role in lowering the risk of later-life cognitive impairment, consistent with the cognitive reserve hypothesis," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted April 2024

Read this next

Mean Cost of Bringing New Drug to U.S. Market Is $879.3 Million

TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- The mean cost of developing a new drug for the U.S. market is estimated to be $879.3 million when both drug development failure and capital costs are...

Patient–Primary Care Provider Language Concordance Tied to Better Outcomes

TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- Patient-family physician language concordance is associated with a lower risk for adverse outcomes, according to a study published online June 3...

Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam Improves Detection of Cognitive Issues in Primary Care

TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- A self-administered gerocognitive examination (SAGE) is easily incorporated into primary care provider (PCP) visits, and its use significantly increases...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.