Publications by authors named "Ellie Pickering"
Cognitive, behavioral, and functional outcomes of suspected mild traumatic brain injury in community-dwelling older persons without mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry
December 2024
Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with greater risk and earlier onset of dementia. This study investigated whether later-life changes in subjective cognition and behavior - potential markers of AD - could be observed in cognitively unimpaired older persons with a history of suspected mild TBI (smTBI) earlier in life and whether changes in cognition and behavior mediated the link between smTBI and daily function.
Methods: Data for 1392 participants from the Canadian Platform for Research Online to Investigate Health, Quality of Life, Cognition, Behaviour, Function, and Caregiving in Aging (CAN-PROTECT) were analyzed.
Linking cognitive and behavioral reserve: Evidence from the CAN-PROTECT study.
Alzheimers Dement (N Y)
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- Changes in the brain from Alzheimer's and other age-related diseases can cause problems with thinking and behavior, even before serious symptoms appear.
- The study looked at how a person's cognitive reserve (a mix of education and experiences) relates to mild behavioral issues.
- Results showed that people with a higher cognitive reserve had better brain test scores and fewer behavior problems, which suggests that keeping mentally active might help both thinking and behavior as we get older.
Mild Behavioral Impairment and Quality of Life in Community Dwelling Older Adults.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) is identified as a warning sign for dementia in older adults, affecting their quality of life (QoL) through various neuropsychiatric symptoms.
- The study involved over 1,100 individuals aged 50 and older, analyzing how severity of MBI symptoms correlates with QoL using specific measurement tools.
- Results showed that higher MBI symptom scores significantly correlated with poorer QoL, regardless of sex, highlighting the need to address MBI in healthcare for older adults.
Article Synopsis
- Physical inactivity during mid-life increases the risk of dementia, while mild behavioral impairment (MBI) may indicate early neurodegenerative changes.
- The study analyzed data from CAN-PROTECT to examine how different types of physical activity (like cardiovascular exercise and physical labor) relate to MBI severity, finding a significant link.
- Specifically, higher cardiovascular activity was associated with lower MBI severity (8.42% decrease per standard deviation increase), whereas increased physical labor led to higher MBI severity (5.64% increase), indicating the potential for cardiovascular exercise to mitigate dementia risk markers in older adults.
Background: The accumulation of age-associated cognitive deficits can lead to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia. This is a major public health issue for the modern ageing population, as it impairs health, independence and overall quality of life. Keeping the brain active during life has been associated with an increased cognitive reserve, therefore reducing the risk of cognitive impairment in older age.
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