SynthesisEpidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)2016
Late-life Cognitive Activity and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Bias Analysis.
Synthesis in Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 39 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
39 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Instruments to Assess Cognitive Reserve Among Older Adults: a Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.Neuropsychology review · 2024Pooled it
- Modifiable lifestyle factors and cognitive reserve: A systematic review of current evidence.Ageing research reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- [Modifiable risk and protective factors for dementia: an overview of established and emerging evidence].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2026Review
- Feasibility of identifying factors related to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in real-world data.JAMIA open · 2026Review
- Development and validation of the LateDem-Risk score to predict dementia incidence in the InveCe.Ab and Trelong Italian cohorts.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Pathway analysis of cognitive resilience factors and cognitive function in the Long Life Family Study (LLFS).Neuropsychology · 2026Observational
- A National Big Data Analysis on Alzheimer's and Other Dementias in Türkiye.Journal of aging research · 2026Article
- Job sector and occupational complexity influence on late-life cognitive function among men.The Gerontologist · 2025Article
- Cognitive Activity From Early to Late Life and the Risk of AD Dementia: A Life Course Study.Neurology open access · 2025Article
- Improv as cognitive activity.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
- The evaluation of the Jigsawdio program on the cognitive and mental health of people living with dementia: Mixed methods study.Gerontechnology : international journal on the fundamental aspects of technology to serve the ageing society · 2025Article
- Stimulating leisure-time activities and the risk of dementia: a multi-cohort study.Age and ageing · 2024Article
- 2024 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2024Article
- Social support and cognitive activity and their associations with incident cognitive impairment in cognitively normal older adults.BMC geriatrics · 2024Article
- Resting-state global brain activity affects early β-amyloid accumulation in default mode network.Nature communications · 2023Article
- Article
- Effects of adult education on cognitive function and risk of dementia in older adults: a longitudinal analysis.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2023Article
- High lifelong cognitive reserve prolongs disability-free survival: The role of cognitive function.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2023Article
- Association Between 24-Hour Movement Behavior and Cognitive Function in Brazilian Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Findings From the ELSA-Brasil.Innovation in aging · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundEngaging in late-life cognitive activity is often proposed as a strategy to delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias. However, it is unclear to what extent the available evidence supports a causal effect of cognitive activity in dementia prevention.
methodsWe systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE through June 2014 to identify peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies of cognitive activity and incidence of AD or all-cause dementia. Eligible articles analyzed data from cohort or nested case-control studies, explicitly defined cognitive activity, evaluated participants for AD or all-cause dementia using clearly defined criteria, and provided effect estimates adjusted for at least age and sex. We describe methodologic issues and biases relevant to interpretation of these studies, and quantify the degree of bias due to confounding and reverse causation required to nullify typically observed associations.
resultsWe reviewed 12 studies involving 13,939 participants and 1,663 dementia cases, of which 565 were specifically evaluated as AD. Most studies found associations between late-life cognitive activity and lower AD and/or all-cause dementia incidence. Differences in cognitive activity operationalization across studies precluded meta-analysis of effect estimates. Our bias analysis indicated that the observed inverse associations are probably robust to unmeasured confounding, and likely only partially explained by reverse causation.
conclusionOur systematic review and bias analyses provide support for the hypothesis that late-life cognitive activity offers some reduction in AD and all-cause dementia risk. However, more data are needed to confirm this relationship and on the optimal type, duration, intensity, and timing of that activity.
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