Cognitive Reserve is a theoretical construct elaborated to explain discrepancies between brain integrity and cognitive functioning. Indeed, high interindividual variability has been observed in the relationship between neural damage and its clinical and functional manifestation. Cognitive Reserve explains this variability in terms of efficiency and flexibility of brain processes: greater adaptability in the execution of cognitive tasks grants a better response to brain damage or ageing. The development of Cognitive Reserve is influenced on the one hand by innate factors and on the other by experiences encountered throughout the lifespan: mainly education, work activity, and leisure activities. Because of this "cumulative" nature of Cognitive Reserve, in this dissertation, we emphasise the importance of investigating the factors that determine its development from a young age. Thus, we propose the concept of Cognitive Reserve Potential (CRP) to represent the set of functional resources available during adolescence, before educational and work experiences are concluded or even started. In the first work presented here, we use data from a longitudinal birth cohort study to examine the impact of youth cognitive functioning in a longitudinal perspective. Our analysis relies on latent growth curve models to investigate the association between earlier (11-70 years) and later (70-82 years) cognitive change. We thus show for the first time how trajectories of cognitive change between childhood and late adulthood significantly predict decline over 12 subsequent years. This finding sheds light on the nature of cognitive ageing and lends additional relevance to early life experiences, the impact of which may reverberate across the lifespan into later life. The second study aims to clarify the relationship between environmental and experiential factors and cognitive functioning in adolescence. In it, we analyse the complex system consisting of measures of crystallised intelligence, fluid intelligence, and indicators of several environmental dimensions, namely, socioeconomic status, home possessions, cultural capital, and reading habits. A network analysis shows that cultural capital and reading habits are associated with verbal abilities independently of socioeconomic status and possessions. Thus, this study confirms the importance of taking a more nuanced view than just socioeconomic status when considering environmental and experiential factors in relation to cognitive development. To address this need, in Study 3, we develop a questionnaire dedicated to the assessment of Cognitive Reserve Potential in adolescents, the CRPq. The instrument measures attitudes and habits pertaining to leisure activities, family environment, peer relations and eating habits. A principal component analysis, confirmed by a factor analysis performed on an independent sample, shows that the CRPq reliably measures 12 subscales while also providing a global CRP score. Thus, we could perform an initial exploration of associations between CRP and measures of intelligence, executive functioning, and socioeconomic factors, which was also presented and discussed in Study 3. Cognitive Reserve in youth is a complex phenomenon that has only recently begun to be studied. The present dissertation, therefore, represents an initial approach. In our concluding remarks, we reflect on the challenges encountered so far and on possible future perspectives.

La Riserva Cognitiva è un costrutto teorico elaborato per spiegare le discrepanze tra l’integrità dei tessuti neurali e il funzionamento cognitivo. E’ infatti stato spesso osservato che il rapporto tra danno neurale e manifestazione clinica o funzionale è estremamente variabile. La Riserva Cognitiva spiega questa variabilità in termini di efficienza e flessibilità delle reti neurali: una maggiore adattabilità nell’esecuzione dei compiti cognitivi permette di rispondere meglio ad eventuali danni o invecchiamento cerebrale. Lo sviluppo della Riserva Cognitiva è influenzato sia da fattori innati che dalle esperienze incontrate durante tutto l’arco della vita: principalmente educazione, attività lavorativa, ed attività di svago. Proprio per questa natura “cumulativa” della Riserva Cognitiva, in questa tesi sottolineiamo l’importanza di esplorare i fattori che ne determinano lo sviluppo fin dalla giovinezza. Proponiamo quindi il concetto di Potenziale di Riserva Cognitiva (Cognitive Reserve Potential, CRP), come insieme delle risorse funzionali presenti durante l’adolescenza, prima che le esperienze educative e lavorative siano concluse, o anche solo iniziate. Nel primo dei lavori presentati utilizziamo dati provenienti da uno studio longitudinale di coorte per studiare l’impatto del funzionamento cognitivo giovanile in una prospettiva longitudinale. Modellando curve di crescita latenti, indaghiamo l’associazione tra cambiamento cognitivo in un primo periodo di vita (11-70 anni) e cambiamento in età avanzata (70-82 anni). Mostriamo dunque per la prima volta come le traiettorie di cambiamento cognitivo tra infanzia e tarda età adulta predicano in modo significativo il declino nei 12 anni successivi. Ciò fa luce sulla natura dell'invecchiamento cognitivo e conferisce una rilevanza aggiuntiva alle esperienze precoci, il cui impatto può ripercuotersi su tutto l’arco della vita, fino ad un’età avanzata. L’obiettivo del secondo studio è fare chiarezza sul rapporto tra fattori ambientali, esperienziali e funzionamento cognitivo in adolescenza. In esso, analizziamo il sistema complesso costituito da misure di intelligenza cristallizzata, intelligenza fluida e indicatori relativi a varie dimensioni ambientali: status socio-economico, possedimenti familiari, capitale culturale, e abitudini di lettura. Una network analysis evidenzia come il capitale culturale e le abitudini di lettura siano associati alle abilità verbali indipendentemente dallo status socio-economico e dai possedimenti. I risultati di questo studio confermano l’importanza di adottare una visione più articolata rispetto al solo status socio-economico nella considerazione dei fattori ambientali ed esperienziali in relazione allo sviluppo cognitivo. Per rispondere a quest’esigenza, nello studio 3 ci occupiamo dello sviluppo di un questionario dedicato alla valutazione del Potenziale di Riserva Cognitiva negli adolescenti, il CRPq. Lo strumento misura atteggiamenti e abitudini nell’ambito delle attività di svago, dell’ambiente familiare, delle relazioni coi pari e delle abitudini alimentari. Un’analisi delle componenti principali, confermata da un’analisi fattoriale eseguita su un campione indipendente, mostra che il CRPq misura in maniera affidabile 12 sottoscale, fornendo inoltre un punteggio di CRP globale. Lo strumento ha quindi reso possibile una prima esplorazione delle associazioni tra CRP e misure di intelligenza, funzionamento esecutivo e fattori socio-economici, anch’essa presentata e discussa nell’ambito dello Studio 3. Quello della Riserva Cognitiva nei giovani è un fenomeno complesso, che ha iniziato ad essere studiato solo di recente. Il presente lavoro di tesi rappresenta pertanto un primo approccio. Nelle conclusioni riflettiamo sulle sfide che abbiamo incontrato e sulle possibili prospettive future.

(2021). Cognitive Reserve Potential: Assessing personal and situational determinants of lifetime cognitive trajectories. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2021).

Cognitive Reserve Potential: Assessing personal and situational determinants of lifetime cognitive trajectories

CONTE, FEDERICA PAOLA
2021

Abstract

Cognitive Reserve is a theoretical construct elaborated to explain discrepancies between brain integrity and cognitive functioning. Indeed, high interindividual variability has been observed in the relationship between neural damage and its clinical and functional manifestation. Cognitive Reserve explains this variability in terms of efficiency and flexibility of brain processes: greater adaptability in the execution of cognitive tasks grants a better response to brain damage or ageing. The development of Cognitive Reserve is influenced on the one hand by innate factors and on the other by experiences encountered throughout the lifespan: mainly education, work activity, and leisure activities. Because of this "cumulative" nature of Cognitive Reserve, in this dissertation, we emphasise the importance of investigating the factors that determine its development from a young age. Thus, we propose the concept of Cognitive Reserve Potential (CRP) to represent the set of functional resources available during adolescence, before educational and work experiences are concluded or even started. In the first work presented here, we use data from a longitudinal birth cohort study to examine the impact of youth cognitive functioning in a longitudinal perspective. Our analysis relies on latent growth curve models to investigate the association between earlier (11-70 years) and later (70-82 years) cognitive change. We thus show for the first time how trajectories of cognitive change between childhood and late adulthood significantly predict decline over 12 subsequent years. This finding sheds light on the nature of cognitive ageing and lends additional relevance to early life experiences, the impact of which may reverberate across the lifespan into later life. The second study aims to clarify the relationship between environmental and experiential factors and cognitive functioning in adolescence. In it, we analyse the complex system consisting of measures of crystallised intelligence, fluid intelligence, and indicators of several environmental dimensions, namely, socioeconomic status, home possessions, cultural capital, and reading habits. A network analysis shows that cultural capital and reading habits are associated with verbal abilities independently of socioeconomic status and possessions. Thus, this study confirms the importance of taking a more nuanced view than just socioeconomic status when considering environmental and experiential factors in relation to cognitive development. To address this need, in Study 3, we develop a questionnaire dedicated to the assessment of Cognitive Reserve Potential in adolescents, the CRPq. The instrument measures attitudes and habits pertaining to leisure activities, family environment, peer relations and eating habits. A principal component analysis, confirmed by a factor analysis performed on an independent sample, shows that the CRPq reliably measures 12 subscales while also providing a global CRP score. Thus, we could perform an initial exploration of associations between CRP and measures of intelligence, executive functioning, and socioeconomic factors, which was also presented and discussed in Study 3. Cognitive Reserve in youth is a complex phenomenon that has only recently begun to be studied. The present dissertation, therefore, represents an initial approach. In our concluding remarks, we reflect on the challenges encountered so far and on possible future perspectives.
COSTANTINI, GIULIO
GIRELLI, LUISA
Riserva Cognitiva; Intelligenza; Sviluppo Cognitivo; FattoriEsperienziali; Assessment
Cognitive Reserve; Intelligence; CognitiveDevelopment; Life Experiences; Assessment
M-PSI/02 - PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA
English
19-lug-2021
PSICOLOGIA, LINGUISTICA E NEUROSCIENZE COGNITIVE
33
2019/2020
open
(2021). Cognitive Reserve Potential: Assessing personal and situational determinants of lifetime cognitive trajectories. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2021).
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/325893
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