An Examination of the Longitudinal Relationship between Cognitive Function and Physical Activity among Older Breast Cancer Survivors in the Thinking and Living with Cancer Study

TY - JOUR

T1 - An Examination of the Longitudinal Relationship between Cognitive Function and Physical Activity among Older Breast Cancer Survivors in the Thinking and Living with Cancer Study

AU - Tometich, Danielle B.

AU - Mosher, Catherine E.

AU - Cyders, Melissa

AU - McDonald, Brenna C.

AU - Saykin, Andrew J.

AU - Small, Brent J.

AU - Zhai, Wanting

AU - Zhou, Xingtao

AU - Jim, Heather S.L.

AU - Jacobsen, Paul

AU - Ahles, Tim A.

AU - Root, James C.

AU - Graham, Deena

AU - Patel, Sunita K.

AU - Mandelblatt, Jeanne

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Society of Behavioral Medicine. All rights reserved.

PY - 2023/3/1

Y1 - 2023/3/1

N2 - Background: Older cancer survivors are at risk for cognitive decline. Physical activity can improve cognition, and better cognitive function may facilitate greater physical activity. Purpose: We examined the potential bidirectional relationship between cognitive function and physical activity in older breast cancer survivors and controls. Methods: The sample included women with newly diagnosed, nonmetastatic breast cancer (n = 395) and women without cancer (n = 374) ages 60-98. Participants were recruited as part of a larger multisite study, assessed prior to systemic therapy, and followed yearly for 36 months. Attention, processing speed, and executive function was measured using six neuropsychological tests, self-reported cognitive function using the Perceived Cognitive Impairments subscale of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function, and physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Separate random intercepts cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the between-and within-person effects for survivors and controls, controlling for age, education, and study site. Results: Survivors reported significantly less physical activity than controls at baseline (1,284.92 vs. 2,085.98 MET min/week, p <. 05). When survivors reported higher activity, they simultaneously had better objective cognition at 12 months (β = 0.24, p =. 04) and reported better perceived cognition at 12 and 24 months (β = 0.25, p =. 03), but this relationship was not seen in controls. Cognition did not predict subsequent physical activity or vice versa in either group. Conclusions: Cognition and physical activity are cross-sectionally associated in survivors, but the expected prospective relationships were not found.

AB - Background: Older cancer survivors are at risk for cognitive decline. Physical activity can improve cognition, and better cognitive function may facilitate greater physical activity. Purpose: We examined the potential bidirectional relationship between cognitive function and physical activity in older breast cancer survivors and controls. Methods: The sample included women with newly diagnosed, nonmetastatic breast cancer (n = 395) and women without cancer (n = 374) ages 60-98. Participants were recruited as part of a larger multisite study, assessed prior to systemic therapy, and followed yearly for 36 months. Attention, processing speed, and executive function was measured using six neuropsychological tests, self-reported cognitive function using the Perceived Cognitive Impairments subscale of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function, and physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Separate random intercepts cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the between-and within-person effects for survivors and controls, controlling for age, education, and study site. Results: Survivors reported significantly less physical activity than controls at baseline (1,284.92 vs. 2,085.98 MET min/week, p <. 05). When survivors reported higher activity, they simultaneously had better objective cognition at 12 months (β = 0.24, p =. 04) and reported better perceived cognition at 12 and 24 months (β = 0.25, p =. 03), but this relationship was not seen in controls. Cognition did not predict subsequent physical activity or vice versa in either group. Conclusions: Cognition and physical activity are cross-sectionally associated in survivors, but the expected prospective relationships were not found.

KW - Breast cancer

KW - Cognition

KW - Executive function

KW - Older survivors

KW - Physical activity

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85152170303

U2 - 10.1093/abm/kaac048

DO - 10.1093/abm/kaac048

M3 - Article

C2 - 36356044

SN - 0883-6612

VL - 57

SP - 237

EP - 248

JO - Annals of Behavioral Medicine

JF - Annals of Behavioral Medicine

IS - 3

ER -