In:
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, Cambridge University Press (CUP), Vol. 9, No. 5 ( 2003-07), p. 690-697
Abstract:
In this study we examined the independent and interactive effects
of lifetime patterns of drinking and smoking on cognitive performance in elderly African Americans. A sample of 230
individuals with varying histories of alcohol and cigarette use was drawn from the Hillsborough Elder African American Life
Study, a community-based, cross-sectional study of older adults aged 60 to 84. Dependent variables were the results of a
neuropsychological battery that provided measures of general cognitive ability, executive function, and memory. Specifically,
our study addressed (1) whether individuals with a lifetime history of sustained smoking and/or drinking show lower
levels of cognitive performance in comparison to lifetime abstainers, (2) whether cumulative lifetime doses of alcohol
or cigarettes, or of the two substances in interaction, have an effect on cognition, and (3) whether individuals who have
histories of periodic, intense use of either alcohol or cigarettes show lower levels of cognitive performance in comparison to
lifetime abstainers. When significant results were obtained, effect sizes were small, not exceeding 5% of the variance. A
single exception occurred for the intensity analyses, in which drinking explained approximately 16% of the variance in global
cognitive ability after adjusting for the contributions of control variables. In these analyses, drinking was found to have a U -shaped effect on global cognitive ability and total
acquisition in the memory trials. Specifically, moderate users performed at a lower level than abstainers or heavy users, who
did not differ from each other. ( JINS , 2003, 9 ,
690–697.)
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1355-6177
,
1469-7661
DOI:
10.1017/S1355617703950028
Language:
English
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publication Date:
2003
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2000018-2
SSG:
5,2
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