Skip to main content
Advertisement
  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
    • Education
  • Online Sections
    • Neurology Video Journal Club
    • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-racism, & Social Justice (IDEAS)
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
    • Practice Buzz
    • Practice Current
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Without Borders
  • Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Disputes & Debates
    • Health Disparities
    • Infographics
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Patient Pages
    • Topics A-Z
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center

Advanced Search

Main menu

  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
    • Education
  • Online Sections
    • Neurology Video Journal Club
    • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-racism, & Social Justice (IDEAS)
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
    • Practice Buzz
    • Practice Current
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Without Borders
  • Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Disputes & Debates
    • Health Disparities
    • Infographics
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Patient Pages
    • Topics A-Z
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Residents & Fellows

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
Neurology
Home
The most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal
  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in
Site Logo
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Residents & Fellows

Share

July 07, 2015; 85 (1) Article

Cognitive activity relates to cognitive performance but not to Alzheimer disease biomarkers

Christopher M. Gidicsin, Jacqueline E. Maye, Joseph J. Locascio, Lesley C. Pepin, Marlie Philiossaint, J. Alex Becker, Alayna P. Younger, Maria Dekhtyar, Aaron P. Schultz, Rebecca E. Amariglio, Gad A. Marshall, Dorene M. Rentz, Trey Hedden, Reisa A. Sperling, Keith A. Johnson
First published June 10, 2015, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000001704
Christopher M. Gidicsin
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jacqueline E. Maye
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Joseph J. Locascio
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Lesley C. Pepin
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Marlie Philiossaint
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
J. Alex Becker
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Alayna P. Younger
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Maria Dekhtyar
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Aaron P. Schultz
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Rebecca E. Amariglio
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Gad A. Marshall
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Dorene M. Rentz
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Trey Hedden
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Reisa A. Sperling
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Keith A. Johnson
From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (C.M.G., J.E.M., L.C.P., M.P., J.A.B., K.A.J.) and Departments of Neurology (J.J.L., A.P.S., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Psychiatry (A.P.Y., A.P.S.), and Radiology (T.H., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.Y., A.P.S., T.H., R.A.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (M.D., R.E.A., G.A.M., D.M.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Full PDF
Citation
Cognitive activity relates to cognitive performance but not to Alzheimer disease biomarkers
Christopher M. Gidicsin, Jacqueline E. Maye, Joseph J. Locascio, Lesley C. Pepin, Marlie Philiossaint, J. Alex Becker, Alayna P. Younger, Maria Dekhtyar, Aaron P. Schultz, Rebecca E. Amariglio, Gad A. Marshall, Dorene M. Rentz, Trey Hedden, Reisa A. Sperling, Keith A. Johnson
Neurology Jul 2015, 85 (1) 48-55; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001704

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Permissions

Make Comment

See Comments

Downloads
540

Share

  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Disclosures
Loading

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to determine whether there was a relationship between lifestyle factors and Alzheimer disease biomarkers.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated self-reported histories of recent and past cognitive activity, self-reported history of recent physical activity, and objective recent walking activity in 186 clinically normal individuals with mean age of 74 ± 6 years. Using backward elimination general linear models, we tested the hypotheses that greater cognitive or physical activity would be associated with lower Pittsburgh compound B–PET retention, greater 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–PET metabolism, and larger hippocampal volume, as well as better cognitive performance on neuropsychological testing.

Results: Linear regression demonstrated that history of greater cognitive activity was correlated with greater estimated IQ and education, as well as better neuropsychological testing performance. Self-reported recent physical activity was related to objective exercise monitoring. However, contrary to hypotheses, we did not find evidence of an association of Pittsburgh compound B retention, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake, or hippocampal volume with past or current levels of cognitive activity, or with current physical activity.

Conclusions: We conclude that a history of lifelong cognitive activity may support better cognitive performance by a mechanism that is independent of brain β-amyloid burden, brain glucose metabolism, or hippocampal volume.

GLOSSARY

Aβ=
β-amyloid;
AD=
Alzheimer disease;
AMNART=
American version of the National Adult Reading Test;
CA=
cognitive activity;
FDG=
18F-fluorodeoxyglucose;
FS=
FreeSurfer;
GLM=
general linear model;
mcPiB=
mean cortical Pittsburgh compound B;
MP-RAGE=
magnetization-prepared rapid-acquisition gradient echo;
PiB=
Pittsburgh compound B;
PrecFDG=
precuneus 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose;
RelHippoVol=
relative hippocampal volume;
ROI=
region of interest;
TPASelf=
self-reported total physical activity;
TWAPed=
pedometer-measured total walking activity;
WalkSelf=
self-reported walking activity

Footnotes

  • Go to Neurology.org for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.

  • Supplemental data at Neurology.org

  • Received June 2, 2014.
  • Accepted in final form March 10, 2015.
  • © 2015 American Academy of Neurology
View Full Text

AAN Members

We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.

Google Safari Microsoft Edge Firefox

Click here to login

AAN Non-Member Subscribers

Click here to login

Purchase access

For assistance, please contact:
AAN Members (800) 879-1960 or (612) 928-6000 (International)
Non-AAN Member subscribers (800) 638-3030 or (301) 223-2300 option 3, select 1 (international)

Sign Up
Information on how to subscribe to Neurology and Neurology: Clinical Practice can be found here 

Purchase
Individual access to articles is available through the Add to Cart option on the article page.  Access for 1 day (from the computer you are currently using) is US$ 39.00.  Pay-per-view content is for the use of the payee only, and content may not be further distributed by print or electronic means.  The payee may view, download, and/or print the article for his/her personal, scholarly, research, and educational use.  Distributing copies (electronic or otherwise) of the article is not allowed.

Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence

No comments have been published for this article.
Comment

REQUIREMENTS

If you are uploading a letter concerning an article:
You must have updated your disclosures within six months: http://submit.neurology.org

Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.

If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.

Submission specifications:

  • Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
  • Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
  • Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
  • Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
  • Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.

More guidelines and information on Disputes & Debates

Compose Comment

More information about text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Author Information
NOTE: The first author must also be the corresponding author of the comment.
First or given name, e.g. 'Peter'.
Your last, or family, name, e.g. 'MacMoody'.
Your email address, e.g. higgs-boson@gmail.com
Your role and/or occupation, e.g. 'Orthopedic Surgeon'.
Your organization or institution (if applicable), e.g. 'Royal Free Hospital'.
Publishing Agreement
NOTE: All authors, besides the first/corresponding author, must complete a separate Publishing Agreement Form and provide via email to the editorial office before comments can be posted.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Vertical Tabs

You May Also be Interested in

Back to top
  • Article
    • Abstract
    • GLOSSARY
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
    • STUDY FUNDING
    • DISCLOSURE
    • ACKNOWLEDGMENT
    • Footnotes
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Disclosures
Advertisement

Topics Discussed

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • PET
  • Neuropsychological assessment
  • Cognitive aging
  • Cognitive neuropsychology in dementia

Alert Me

  • Alert me when eletters are published
Neurology: 99 (5)

Articles

  • Ahead of Print
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Popular Articles
  • Translations

About

  • About the Journals
  • Ethics Policies
  • Editors & Editorial Board
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Submit

  • Author Center
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Information for Reviewers
  • AAN Guidelines
  • Permissions

Subscribers

  • Subscribe
  • Activate a Subscription
  • Sign up for eAlerts
  • RSS Feed
Site Logo
  • Visit neurology Template on Facebook
  • Follow neurology Template on Twitter
  • Visit Neurology on YouTube
  • Neurology
  • Neurology: Clinical Practice
  • Neurology: Genetics
  • Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Neurology: Education
  • AAN.com
  • AANnews
  • Continuum
  • Brain & Life
  • Neurology Today

Wolters Kluwer Logo

Neurology | Print ISSN:0028-3878
Online ISSN:1526-632X

© 2022 American Academy of Neurology

  • Privacy Policy
  • Feedback
  • Advertise