High cognitive activity possibly reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

To investigate associations between an individual's need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities (need for cognition, NFC) and structural brain damage and cognitive functioning in the Dutch general population with and without existing cognitive impairment.

Cross-sectional data were used from the population-based cohort of the Maastricht Study. NFC was measured using the Need For Cognition Scale. Cognitive functioning was tested in three domains: verbal memory, information processing speed, and executive functioning and attention. Values 1.5 s.d. below the mean were defined as cognitive impairment. Standardised volumes of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and presence of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) were derived from 3T magnetic resonance imaging. Multiple linear and binary logistic regression analyses were used adjusted for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors.

Participants (n = 4209; mean age 59.06 years, s.d. = 8.58; 50.1% women) with higher NFC scores had higher overall cognition scores (B = 0.21, 95% CI 0.17–0.26, P < 0.001) and lower odds for CSVD (OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.60–0.91, P = 0.005) and cognitive impairment (OR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.48–0.76, P < 0.001) after adjustment for demographic, somatic and lifestyle factors. The association between NFC score and cognitive functioning was similar for individuals with and without prevalent cognitive impairment. We found no significant association between NFC and WMH or CSF volumes.

A high need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities is associated with better cognitive functioning and less presence of CSVD and cognitive impairment. This suggests that, in middle-aged individuals, motivation to engage in cognitively stimulating activities may be an opportunity to improve brain health.

高认知活动可能会降低认知能力下降和痴呆的风险。

旨在调查荷兰普通人群中存在或不存在认知障碍的个体参与认知刺激活动的需求（认知需求，NFC）与结构性脑损伤和认知功能之间的关联。

使用来自马斯特里赫特研究的基于人群的队列的横截面数据。 NFC 使用认知需求量表进行测量。认知功能在三个领域进行了测试：言语记忆、信息处理速度以及执行功能和注意力。值 1.5 标准差低于平均值被定义为认知障碍。白质高信号 (WMH)、脑脊液 (CSF) 和脑小血管疾病 (CSVD) 的标准化体积均来自 3T 磁共振成像。使用多重线性和二元逻辑回归分析来调整人口、躯体和生活方式因素。

NFC 得分较高的参与者（n = 4209；平均年龄 59.06 岁，s.d. = 8.58；50.1% 为女性）的总体认知得分较高（B = 0.21，95% CI 0.17–0.26，P < 0.001），且发生 CSVD 的几率较低（调整人口、躯体和生活方式因素后，OR = 0.74，95% CI 0.60–0.91，P = 0.005）和认知障碍（OR = 0.60，95% CI 0.48–0.76，P < 0.001）。对于患有或不患有普遍认知障碍的个体来说，NFC 评分与认知功能之间的关联相似。我们发现 NFC 与 WMH 或 CSF 体积之间没有显着关联。

对参与认知刺激活动的高度需求与更好的认知功能以及更少的脑小血管病和认知障碍相关。这表明，对于中年人来说，参与认知刺激活动的动机可能是改善大脑健康的机会。