Association between occupational complexity and cognitive function in older adults from Brazil and Mexico
Natalia Gomes Goncalves1, Gabriela Mininel de Medeiros1, Aline Ciciliati1
1Division of Geriatrics, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
Neuroscience
|February 1, 2025
Summary
Higher occupational complexity may protect against cognitive decline. However, this association varied between Brazil and Mexico, indicating a need for context-specific interventions to support cognitive health in aging populations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Sociology of Aging
Background:
- Occupational complexity during adulthood is hypothesized to influence cognitive function in later life.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for developing targeted interventions to promote cognitive aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between occupational complexity and cognitive impairment in older adults.
- To compare these associations across two distinct aging cohorts: the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI) and the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS).
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the ELSI and MHAS, employing a regression-based approach to classify cognitive status.
- Occupations were categorized into four levels based on the 2008 International Standard of Classification of Occupations.
- Logistic regression models were used for separate and pooled analyses to assess the relationship between occupational skill level and cognitive impairment.
Main Results:
- In the ELSI, higher occupational skill levels were associated with decreased odds of cognitive impairment.
- This protective trend was not observed in the MHAS, where the highest skill level showed no significant association with cognitive impairment.
- ELSI participants exhibited a lower probability of cognitive impairment compared to MHAS participants with similar occupation skill levels.
Conclusions:
- The association between occupational complexity and cognitive aging is context-dependent, varying by region.
- Interventions aimed at mitigating the cognitive effects of lower-complexity occupations must be tailored to specific socioeconomic, cultural, and occupational contexts.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these regional differences in cognitive aging.
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