The effect of clinical, demographic and lifestyle factors on executive functions in middle aged and older women

Objective: Global population ageing has contributed to an increased prevalence of cognitive dysfunction. The current study investigated the psychological, health, lifestyle and demographic factors later in life that are associated with executive function.Methods: AThe data for this project were collected as part of the Longitudinal Assessment of Women (LAW) study. A neuropsychological test battery was administered to 376 women and this was augmented by self-report data from a postal questionnaire covering psychological, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors.Results: Investigation of variables influencing a composite measure of executive functioning demonstrated that increasing age and higher self-reported depression had a negative relationship with executive abilities while higher levels of education, mild alcohol consumption and higher BMI had a positive relationship with executive functioning.Conclusion: These findings suggest that treating depression, and encouraging a healthy diet, which may include mild alcohol consumption, may positively affect executive performance in older adults.