Associations between cognitive activity in a sitting position and cognitive function among physically frail older adults

• Project/Area Number: 18K17995
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Kurita Satoshi 国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 老年学・社会科学研究センター, 研究員 (00803298)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000)
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 座位行動 / 知的活動 / 認知機能 / 身体的フレイル / 認知症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Among older adults who have decreased physical activity and increased sedentary time, especially physically frail older people, whether engaging in cognitive activity preserve cognitive function remained unknown. This study focused sedentary cognitive activity (SCA) and aimed to develop a questionnaire to assess SCA time and examine the association between SCA and cognitive function.
We developed a questionnaire which can calculate sedentary time including SCA time per a habitual week. The validity was confirmed by accelerometer-measured sedentary time and diary-recorded SCA time. The reliability was confirmed by test-retest method. SCA time was protectively associated with cognitive function, especially attention independent from sedentary time. In physically frail older adults, SCA time was protectively associated with brain atrophy.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果から、高齢者、特に身体的フレイルを有する高齢者において、座位で行われる知的活動の時間は総座位時間と独立して認知機能、脳容積と関連していることが示唆された。認知機能の保護因子に身体活動と知的活動があげられ、活動的なライフスタイルが望ましいとされるが、座位での知的活動は、身体活動量の確保が困難な高齢者において認知機能の維持・向上のための有効な手段となる可能性がある。今後の研究ではより大規模な集団を対象に座位での知的活動と認知機能の関連性を調べ、介入効果を検証することが課題である。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Association of physical and/or cognitive activity with cognitive impairment in older adults (2020)
  • Author(s): Kurita Satoshi、Tsutsumimoto Kota、Doi Takehiko、Nakakubo Sho、Kim Minji、Ishii Hideaki、Shimada Hiroyuki
  • Journal Title: Geriatrics & Gerontology International Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Pages: 31-35
  • DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13814
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Association of physical and/or cognitive activity with disability: a two-year prospective cohort study (2020)
  • Author(s): Kurita S, Doi T, Tsutsumimoto K, Nakakubo S, Kim M, Ishii H, Shimada H
  • Journal Title: Phys Ther Volume: Epub ahead of print Issue: 8 Pages: 1289-1295
  • DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzaa052
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Cognitive activity in a sitting position is protectively associated with cognitive impairment among older adults (2019)
  • Author(s): Kurita Satoshi、Doi Takehiko、Tsutsumimoto Kota、Hotta Ryo、Nakakubo Sho、Kim Minji、Shimada Hiroyuki
  • Journal Title: Geriatrics & Gerontology International Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Pages: 98-102
  • DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13532
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 身体活動・知的活動の多寡と新規要介護発生の関連． (2019)
  • Author(s): 栗田智史, 土井剛彦, 堤本広大, 中窪翔, 金民智, 石井秀明, 島田裕之．
  • Organizer: 第61回日本老年医学会学術集会
• [Presentation] 身体活動・知的活動の多寡と軽度認知障害の関連． (2019)
  • Author(s): 栗田智史, 土井剛彦, 堤本広大, 中窪翔, 金民智, 石井秀明, 島田裕之．
  • Organizer: 第9回日本認知症予防学会学術集会
• [Presentation] 歩行速度が低下した高齢者における座位での知的活動と認知機能障害の関連． (2019)
  • Author(s): 栗田智史, 土井剛彦, 堤本広大, 中窪翔, 金民智, 石井秀明, 島田裕之．
  • Organizer: 第9回日本認知症予防学会学術集会