Impact of cognitive reserve indicators on cognition in middle-aged and older adults in waves 1, 2, and 3 of the CLSA

Project Summary

Dementia is characterized by severe, progressive cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is defined as the presence of both Alzheimer-type brain pathology and dementia. However, not everyone with this pathology will show the expected dementia symptoms, leading to a concept called cognitive reserve (CR), the brain’s ability to cope with pathology. Many factors, such as education and multilingualism, may enhance CR and thereby support cognitive function, but it is unclear if there is a ceiling to their protective effects and if their impact differs across cognitive domains (e.g., memory and executive function) or genetic risk groups. Thus, we will examine the effect of CR indicators on memory and executive function in middle-aged and older adults across genetic risk groups using the first three waves of the CLSA. Our work will support enrichment interventions to enhance cognitive function throughout the life course and support healthy cognitive aging.