Concepts of Mental Demands at Work That Protect Against Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Systematic Review

Workplace-related mental demands (WPMDs) are considered to be protective factors for cognitive health in old age and are linked to delayed onset of dementia. Yet, what exactly is meant by WPMDs differs greatly between studies, putting an enormous challenge on researchers and practitioners. Aim of our study was thus to create a systematic overview on WPMD concepts and to depict their associations with dementia and cognitive decline. Thereby, we want to create a solid basis for further work and implementation.

PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science.

We included observational studies with populations older than 18 that addressed the association between WPMDs and dementia/cognitive functioning and that were published as journal articles. We excluded studies with emotional and physical demands, stress, and organizational frameworks such as exposure variables and quality of life, depressive symptoms, burnout, and Parkinson as outcome. Furthermore, we excluded study populations younger than 18 and students.

Standardized search string.

Based on theoretical concepts.

Thirty-four studies that employed concepts of WPMDs in 5 different categories: complexity with people/data/things, cognitive demands, job control, novelty, and mental workload.

Challenges associated with categorizing WPMDs as well as theoretical and measurement-related implications are discussed.

This review helps to better understand how workplaces can contribute to later life cognitive fitness, and it offers a conceptual overview for practitioners that want to create more protective working environments or improve existing ones.