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Lifestyle Composite and Resilience to Alzheimer's Disease Pathology in Down Syndrome
Emily K Schworer1, Matthew D Zammit1, Benjamin L Handen2
1Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Background:
People with Down syndrome (DS) have a high risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Identifying resiliency factors for AD is of critical importance to the DS community.
Method:
Participants were 63 adults with DS. Measures included amyloid-beta PET scans (amyloid age), National Task Group-Early Detection Screen for Dementia (NTG-EDSD), and Down Syndrome Mental Status Examination (DSMSE). Lifestyle composites were created by assessing time spent in leisure, employment, and physical activity across 7 days through informant reports and accelerometry.
Results:
There was a significant moderation effect of the lifestyle composite on the association between amyloid age and the NTG-EDSD and DSMSE. Participants with a higher lifestyle composite (higher leisure, employment engagement, and physical activity) had fewer dementia symptoms than those with a lower lifestyle composite score of a similar amyloid age.
Conclusions:
Modifiable lifestyle factors may allow adults with DS to maintain cognitive functioning for longer in the face of AD pathology.
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