Browsing by Author "Roth, Adam R."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Cognitively Stimulating Environments and Cognitive Reserve: The Case of Personal Social Networks
    (Elsevier, 2022-04) Peng, Siyun; Roth, Adam R.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Perry, Brea L.; Neurology, School of Medicine
    Cognitively stimulating environments are thought to be protective of cognitive decline and onset of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) through the development of cognitive reserve (CR). CR refers to cognitive adaptability that buffers the impact of brain pathology on cognitive function. Despite the critical need to identify cognitively stimulating environments to build CR, there is no consensus regarding which environmental determinants are most effective. Rather, most studies use education as proxies for CR and little is known about the association between older adults’ personal social networks and CR. Using neuroimaging data from 135 older adults participating in the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease (SNAD) study, this article adopted a residual method for measuring CR and found that large network size, high network diversity, and loosely connected networks were positively associated with greater CR. These results suggest that expansive social networks in later life may constitute cognitively stimulating environments which can be leveraged to build CR and reduce the burden of ADRD.
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    Do subjective or objective cognitive measures better predict social network type among older adults?
    (Taylor & Francis, 2022) Roth, Adam R.; Peng, Siyun; Coleman, Max E.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Perry, Brea L.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    A large literature highlights the link between cognitive function and social networks in later life. Yet there remains uncertainty about the factors driving this relationship. In the present study, we use measures of subjective cognitive decline and clinical cognitive assessments on a sample of older adults to investigate whether the relationship between cognitive function and social networks is driven by psychosocial factors. We found a consistent link between clinical cognitive assessments and social network type, but no association between subjective concerns of cognitive decline and networks. Participants who exhibited signs of clinical cognitive impairment were more likely to have restricted networks (i.e., smaller networks consisting of fewer contacts, more interconnectivity, and less social diversity) compared to their cognitively normal counterparts, regardless of subjective measures of cognitive decline—both from the participant’s perspective and study partner’s perspective. These findings suggest that neither cognitively impaired older adults nor their network members appear to consciously dissolve social ties on the basis of perceived cognitive decline. However, it remains unclear whether the association between clinical cognitive impairment and social network type indicates the protective nature of social networks against cognitive decline or a subconscious process leading to social contraction.
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    Network recall among older adults with cognitive impairments
    (Elsevier, 2021) Roth, Adam R.; Peng, Siyun; Coleman, Max E.; Finley, Evan; Perry, Brea; Sociology, School of Liberal Arts
    Although it is widely accepted that personal networks influence health and illness, network recall remains a major concern. This concern is heightened when studying a population that is vulnerable to cognitive decline. Given these issues, we use data from the Social Network in Alzheimer Disease project to explore similarities and discrepancies between the network perceptions of focal participants and study partners. By leveraging data on a sample of older adults with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and early stage dementia, we explore how cognitive impairment influences older adults’ perceptions of their personal networks. We find that the average individual is more likely to omit weaker, peripheral ties from their self-reported networks than stronger, central ties. Despite observing only moderate levels of focal-partner corroboration across our sample, we find minimal evidence of perceptual differences across diagnostic groups. We offer two broad conclusions. First, self-reported network data, though imperfect, offer a reasonable account of the core people in one’s life. Second, our findings assuage concerns that cognitively impaired older adults have skewed perceptions of their personal networks.
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    Social Enrichment on the Job: Complex Work with People Improves Episodic Memory, Promotes Brain Reserve, and Reduces the Risk of Dementia
    (Wiley, 2023) Coleman, Max E.; Roessler, Meghan E. H.; Peng, Siyun; Roth, Adam R.; Risacher, Shannon L.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Perry, Brea L.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Individuals with more complex jobs experience better cognitive function in old age and a lower risk of dementia, yet complexity has multiple dimensions. Drawing on the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease study, we examine the association between occupational complexity and cognition in a sample of older adults (N = 355). A standard deviation (SD) increase in complex work with people is associated with a 9% to 12% reduction in the probability of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, a 0.14-0.19 SD increase in episodic memory, and a 0.18-0.25 SD increase in brain reserve, defined as the gap (residual) between global cognitive function and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicators of brain atrophy. In contrast, complexity with data or things is rarely associated with cognitive outcomes. We discuss the clinical and methodological implications of these findings, including the need to complement data-centered activities (e.g., Sudoku puzzles) with person-centered interventions that increase social complexity.
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    Social Networks and Cognitive Function: An Evaluation of Social Bridging and Bonding Mechanisms
    (Oxford University Press, 2022) Perry, Brea L.; McConnell, William R.; Peng, Siyun; Roth, Adam R.; Coleman, Max; Manchella, Mohit; Roessler, Meghann; Francis, Heather; Sheean, Hope; Apostolova, Liana A.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Background and objectives: Social connectedness has been linked prospectively to cognitive aging, but there is little agreement about the social mechanisms driving this relationship. This study evaluated 9 measures of social connectedness, focusing on 2 forms of social enrichment-access to an expansive and diverse set of loosely connected individuals (i.e., social bridging) and integration in a supportive network of close ties (i.e., social bonding). Research design and methods: This study used egocentric network and cognitive data from 311 older adults in the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease study. Linear regressions were used to estimate the association between social connectedness and global cognitive function, episodic memory, and executive function. Results: Measures indicative of social bridging (larger network size, lower density, presence of weak ties, and proportion of non-kin) were consistently associated with better cognitive outcomes, while measures of social bonding (close ties, multiplex support, higher frequency of contact, better relationship quality, and being married) largely produced null effects. Discussion and implications: These findings suggest that the protective benefits of social connectedness for cognitive function and memory may operate primarily through a cognitive reserve mechanism that is driven by irregular contact with a larger and more diverse group of peripheral others.
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    Social Networks and Cognitive Reserve: Network Structure Moderates the Association Between Amygdalar Volume and Cognitive Outcomes
    (Oxford University Press, 2022) Perry, Brea L.; Roth, Adam R.; Peng, Siyun; Risacher, Shannon L.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Objectives: The cognitive reserve hypothesis has been proposed as a key mechanism explaining the link between social networks and cognitive function but has rarely been empirically tested using neuroimaging data. This study examines whether social network attributes moderate the association between amygdalar volume and cognitive function. Methods: Data were from the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease study (N = 154) and Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Social networks were measured using the PhenX Social Network Battery. Regional data from magnetic resonance imaging (amygdalar volume [AV]) were analyzed using FreeSurfer software. Cognitive function was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and consensus diagnosis. Linear regression analyses were conducted to test the moderating role of social networks on the association between AV and cognitive function. Results: Participants with greater ability to span multiple social roles and subgroups within their networks scored higher on the MoCA after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, depression, frequency of contact, and AV. Social networks moderated the association between AV and cognitive function. Discussion: Among participants who engaged in diverse and loosely connected social networks, the expected adverse cognitive effects of brain volume in regions implicated in socioemotional processing were attenuated. These findings suggest that cognitive stimulation achieved through social interaction with a diverse array of social relationships across multiple contexts may help promote cognitive reserve.
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    Why the cognitive "fountain of youth" may be upstream: Pathways to dementia risk and resilience through social connectedness
    (Wiley, 2022) Perry, Brea L.; McConnell, Will R.; Coleman, Max E.; Roth, Adam R.; Peng, Siyun; Apostolova, Liana G.; Neurology, School of Medicine
    Research suggests social connectedness may help older adults with dementia maintain cognitive functionality and quality of life. However, little is known about its specific social and biological mechanisms. This paper proposes two pathways through social bridging (i.e., cognitive enrichment through expansive social networks) and bonding (i.e., neuroendocrine benefits of integration in cohesive social networks). We provide preliminary evidence for these pathways using neuroimaging, cognitive, and egocentric social network data from the Social Networks and Alzheimer's Disease (SNAD) study (N = 280). We found that network size, density, and presence of weak ties (i.e., social bridging) moderated the association between brain atrophy and cognitive function, while marriage/cohabitation (i.e., social bonding) moderated the association between perceived stress and cognitive function. We argue that social connectedness may have downstream implications for multiple pathophysiological processes in cognitive aging, even negating existing structural damage to the brain, making it a strong candidate for clinical or policy intervention.