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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
The relation of hydration status to declarative memory and working memory in older adults
J A Suhr1, S M Patterson, A W Austin
1Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA. suhr@ohio.edu
Objectives:
Prior studies have suggested a relationship between dehydration and poor cognitive performance. The present study examined the relationships among hydration status, declarative memory and working memory skills, and blood pressure in a sample of older community dwelling females.
Design:
Data was analyzed from a larger study; relationships among hydration status, blood pressure, and cognitive measures were assessed with correlation and meditational analyses.
Setting:
Laboratory.
Participants:
21 postmenopausal women (mean age 60.3, SD 8.03).
Measures:
Hydration status was measured using bioelectrical impedance, baseline blood pressure was assessed using a Colin Pressmate, and cognition was examined using the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Auditory Consonant Trigrams.
Results:
Bioelectrical impedance total body water by weight was found to be related to working memory, r = .47, p = .04, and memory skills, r = .54, p = .01. Total body water by weight was also found to be related to diastolic blood pressure, r = -.56, p = .01, which in turn was related to working memory, r = -.67, p = .002, and declarative memory, r = -.57, p = .009, skills. When diastolic blood pressure was accounted for, the relationship between hydration status and cognitive skills was attenuated. A similar pattern of results was seen for systolic blood pressure, although findings did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions:
Results emphasize the importance of considering hydration status and blood pressure when interpreting cognitive performance in older adults.
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