Search

Objective Motor, perceptual, and cognitive functions are known to affect driving competence. Subcortical ischemic changes on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reflect reduction in cognitive and motor performance. However, few studies have reported the relationship between subcortical ischemic changes and driving competence of the elderly. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the association between subcortical ischemic changes on MRI and driving abilities of the elderly. Methods Participants (n=540) were drawn from a nationwide, multicenter, hospital-based, longitudinal cohort. Each participant underwent MRI scan and interview for driving capacity categorized into ‘now driving’ and ‘driving cessation (driven before, not driving now)’. Participants were divided into three groups (mild, n=389; moderate, n=116; and severe, n=35) depending on the degree of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) on MRI at baseline. Driving status was evaluated at follow-up. Statistical analyses were conducted using χ2 test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), structured equation model (SEM), and generalized estimating equation (GEE). Results In SEM, greater baseline degree of WMH was directly associated with driving cessation regardless of cognitive or motor dysfunction (β=-0.110, p

There is a growing interest in finding psychosocial predictors related to cognitive function. In our previous research, we conducted a cross-sectional study on memory age identity (MAI) and found that MAI might be associated with objective cognitive performance in non-cognitively impaired elderly. A longitudinal study was conducted to better understand the importance of MAI as a psychosocial predictor related to objective cognitive function.Data obtained from 1345 Korean subjects aged 60 years and above were analyzed. During the two-year follow-up, subjective memory age was assessed on three occasions using the following question: How old do you feel based on your memory? Discrepancy between subjective memory age and chronological age was then calculated. We defined this value as 'memory age identity (MAI)'. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was then obtained to demonstrate the relationship between MAI and Korean version-Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score over the 2 years of study.MAI was found to significantly (β=-0.03, p0.0001) predict objective cognitive performance in the non-cognitively impaired elderly.MAI may be a potential psychosocial predictor related to objective cognitive performance in the non-cognitively impaired elderly.

Relatively few studies have examined the psychological predictors of cognitive functions in the elderly. We aimed to investigate the relationship between MAI and cognition in the non-cognitively impaired (NCI) elderly. Data obtained from 1345 Korean subjects aged 60+ years were analyzed. MAI was defined as the discrepancy between subjective memory age and chronological age. We conducted the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to demonstrate the relationship between MAI and Korean version-Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). There were significant differences in the estimated means of K-MMSE score among the 4 quartile groups of MAI (Q1-Q2Q3Q4, F=13.12, p0.0001). These results suggested that MAI may be associated with cognitive function in the NCI elderly.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of physical, mental, social activity, and health concern on cognition in the elderly by means of the health concern and activity (HCA) model. Data were obtained from 3157 subjects aged 60 years and above. The subjects were divided into four groups according to the HCA model. Cognitive function was assessed by the Korean version of the mini-mental state examination (K-MMSE). A cross-sectional, factorial design was used in which the K-MMSE score was the dependent variable, with physical, mental, and social activity as one factor and health concern as the other. Analysis of covariance revealed significant differences in the K-MMSE score between all four groups after adjusting for age, sex, education, current smoking, and alcohol consumption for all subjects. The results suggest that having health concerns as well as physical, mental, or social activity is associated with cognitive function in the elderly.

Results: The total amount of time spent to execute 10 physical activities was 91.9±98.9 minutes per day. K-MMSE score was significantly associated with the duration of physical activity after adjustment for age, sex, educational level, depres- sion, anxiety, and underlying diseases using multiple logistic regression analysis ( β=0.002, p

Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had experiences of enormous psychological stress that can result in neurocognitive and neurochemical changes. To date, the causal relationship between them remains unclear. The present study is to investigate the association between neurocognitive characteristics and neural metabolite concentrations in North Korean refugees with PTSD. A total of 53 North Korean refugees with or without PTSD underwent neurocognitive function tests. For neural metabolite scanning, magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been conducted. We assessed between-group differences in neurocognitive test scores and metabolite levels. Additionally, a multiple regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the association between neurocognitive function and metabolite levels in patients with PTSD. Memory function, but not other neurocognitive functions, was significantly lower in the PTSD group compared with the non-PTSD group. Hippocampal N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels were not different between groups; however, NAA levels were significantly lower in the ACC of the PTSD group than the non-PTSD group (t = 2.424, p = 0.019). The multiple regression analysis showed a negative association between hippocampal NAA levels and delayed recall score on the auditory verbal learning test (β = -1.744, p = 0.011) in the non-PTSD group, but not in the PTSD group. We identified specific memory impairment and the role of NAA levels in PTSD. Our findings suggest that hippocampal NAA has a protective role in memory impairment and development of PTSD after exposure to traumatic events.