Verbal intelligence and leisure activities are associated with cognitive performance and resting-state electroencephalogram

Abstract

Cognitive reserve (CR) is the adaptability of cognitive processes that helps to explain differences in the susceptibility of cognitive or daily functions to resist the onslaught of brain-related injury or the normal aging process. The underlying brain mechanisms of CR studied through electroencephalogram (EEG) are scarcely reported. To our knowledge, few studies have considered a combination of exclusively dynamic proxy measures of CR. We evaluated the association of CR with cognition and resting-state EEG in older adults using three of the most frequently used dynamic proxy measures of CR: verbal intelligence, leisure activities, and physical activities. Multiple linear regression analyses with the CR proxies as independent variables and cognitive performance and the absolute power (AP) on six resting-state EEG components (beta, alpha1, alpha2, gamma, theta, and delta) as outcomes were performed. Eighty-eight healthy older adults aged 60–77 (58 female) were selected from previous study data. Verbal intelligence was a significant positive predictor of perceptual organization, working memory, processing speed, executive functions, and central delta power. Leisure activities were a significant positive predictor of posterior alpha2 power. The dynamic proxy variables of CR are differently associated with cognitive performance and resting-state EEG. Implementing leisure activities and tasks to increase vocabulary may promote better cognitive performance through compensation or neural efficiency mechanisms.

Cognitive resilience/reserve: Myth or reality? A review of definitions and measurement methods

“…The study found that dynamic proxy measures of CR are positively associated with alpha power in resting‐state EEG and leisure activities are a significant positive predictor of alpha 2 rhythms. However, physical activities were not found to be predictors of cognitive performance or resting‐state EEG 65 …”

“…However, physical activities were not found to be predictors of cognitive performance or resting-state EEG. 65 The results by Buján et al showed moderate negative correlations between the CRIq and occipital current source density in delta and beta 2 frequency bands, as well as positive associations between the CRIq and inter-and intrahemispheric lagged-linear connectivity measures. 66 The effect of age on cognitive performance was stronger for higher values of both measures, suggesting that lower values might protect or compensate for the effects of age on cognition.…”

“…However, physical activities were not found to be predictors of cognitive performance or resting‐state EEG. 65 …”

Semantic Priming and Its Link to Verbal Comprehension and Working Memory in Children with Learning Disorders

“…More research is needed to elucidate the role of cognitive deficits such as verbal comprehension, working memory, and processing speed in learning disorders. To further clarify the relative role of such cognitive domains as some of the main contributors to the symptomatology of LDs, we propose that a more thorough relationship should be traced between indices of cognitive performance and the activity of different networks of the EEG resting state because several studies have proposed that resting-state measures are useful predictors of cognitive performance in different kinds of samples, from children [64] to healthy adults [65] and elderly individuals [66,67].…”

The effect of the leisure activities based on chess and cards for improving cognition of older adults: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

“…In recent decades, more and more attention has been paid to the role of leisure activities as a protective factor against cognitive function in the older people. A recent study shows that participating in leisure activities, not only as a prevention strategy, but even as an intervention in later life, may promote better cognitive performance through compensation or neural efficiency mechanisms [ 14 ]. The potential mechanism for the protective effect of leisure activities on cognitive function is still unclear.…”