TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - The relation of having experienced a fall in the past to lower cognitive functioning in old age is mediated via less physical activity engagement as cognitive reserve contributor
JO  - Biology (Basel)
A1  - Ihle, Andreas
A1  - Gouveia, Élvio R.
A1  - Gouveia, Bruna R.
A1  - Marques, Adilson
A1  - Marconcin, Priscila
A1  - Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio
A1  - Haas, Maximilian
A1  - Jurema, Jefferson
A1  - Tinôco, Maria A.
A1  - Kliegel, Matthias
SP  - e1754
EP  - e1754
VL  - 11
IS  - 12
N2  - Physical activity and exercise contribute to the accumulation of cognitive reserve, which is instrumental for preserving cognitive health in old age. In a large sample of 701 older adults (mean age = 70.36 years), we investigated whether the relationship between having experienced a fall in the past and lower performance in cognitive functioning was mediated via less physical activity engagement as a cognitive reserve contributor. General cognition was assessed using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), long-term memory using a word-pair delayed recall test and working memory using a backward digit-span test. In face-to-face interviews, individuals reported information on falls during the past 12 months and their habitual physical activity engagement. Our analyses demonstrated that the relationship between having experienced a fall in the past and lower performance in the cognitive functioning measures was partly mediated (by 16.3% for general cognition, 30.6% for long-term memory, and 33.1% for working memory, respectively) via less physical activity engagement. In conclusion, we suggest as a core bio-psychological mechanism that experiencing a fall at an older age is a critical life event that hinders sufficient physical activity engagement and thereby impedes cognitive reserve build-up, resulting in lower cognitive functioning outcomes.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2079-7737
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology11121754
ID  - ref1
ER  -