Recent studies funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal suggest that individuals engaged in occupations with higher work complexity experience superior cognitive functioning in their later years. This assertion builds upon prior research which posited that individuals in complex roles tend to maintain better cognitive health with advancing age and exhibit a reduced risk of dementia. Carrying this research forward, the new investigations examined various dimensions of job complexity and their impact on cognitive health.
Jobs were classified based on their complexity concerning “data, people, and things” according to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, which describes the nature of tasks in different roles. For instance, complex jobs involving data include those of a data analyst, roles centered around people might refer to a social worker, while handling things could relate to jobs like a watch repairman. Notably, the studies accounted for education—reported at the highest level completed—given its potential influence on cognitive ability prior to workforce entry.
In one of the studies, a team of researchers from Indiana University and affiliated bodies delved into data from 355 older adults participating in the Social Networks in Alzheimer’s Disease study. Investigating the participants’ neurological test scores, brain imaging, work history, and diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, the team dug into the cognitive health of these adults, who, averaging 70 years of age, were predominantly retired from their longest-held jobs.
The findings revealed that complex work involving interactions with people correlated with better memory performance, a lower likelihood of MCI or dementia, and a higher brain reserve—which reflects the brain’s capacity to endure atrophy yet function optimally. However, after adjusting for educational level, work complexity involving data or things didn’t significantly correlate with any cognitive metric.
These results underscore the potential cognitive benefits garnered through work environments enriched with social interactions, enhancing cognitive function and resilience against neurological deterioration. The study, however, does acknowledge a limitation: a lack of participant diversity, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
In a corroborative study conducted by researchers from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, University of California, San Francisco, and their collaborative counterparts, the ties between occupational complexity and cognitive health were further scrutinized, this time within a diverse cohort. Data were gleaned from dialogues with 1,536 participants, with an average age of 76, from the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences study, featuring a balanced representation of Asian, Black, Latino, and White seniors. Over roughly two and a half years, participants underwent three assessment waves, providing insights into their initial cognitive status and its evolution over time.
Echoing the findings of the initial study, more intricate work involving people interaction was consistently linked to stronger cognitive metrics. Contrasting the previous study’s conclusions, however, this investigation uncovered that occupations with higher data complexity also correlated with more favorable cognitive trajectories and a decelerated pace of cognitive decline annually. The discrepancy between the studies could be stemming from their varied methodological approaches, but it underscores the necessity for further exploration. Notably, a significant number of Black and Latino study members held positions identified as having lower complexity in both data and people tasks.
Together, these studies contribute to a growing compendium of research suggesting that intellectually engaging work experiences during midlife, including working in intricate job settings, may have a role in promoting better mental acuity in older age. It is critical to underline that the Dictionary of Occupational Titles assigns ratings based on job titles without accounting for the inherent heterogeneity that can exist within each title. Additional research aimed at deciphering exactly how different facets of job complexity impact later-life cognition is essential for designing work environments that foster cognitive vitality and health equity.