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57/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 57 out of 100. Mild cognitive impairment

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Background It is of considerable public health importance to prevent or delay the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to more severely impaired cognitive states. This study examines the risk of progression from mild to severe cognitive impairment in relation to engagement in social activities while mildly impaired and the concurrence of subsequent change in engagement with MCI progression. Methods Participants were 816 older adults with cognitively defined MCI (mean age 78.0 (standard deviation or SD = 7.4) years) from the Monongahela-Youghiogheny Healthy Aging Team (MYHAT) Study--a prospective cohort study of MCI in the community. Over three years of follow-up, 78 individuals progressed from MCI to severe cognitive impairment, while 738 did not progress. Risk of progression was estimated using discrete time survival analyses. The main predictors were standardized composite measures of the variety and frequency of engagement in social activities. Results Lower risk of progression from mild to severe cognitive impairment was associated with both a greater level of frequency of engagement in social activities while mildly impaired (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55-0.93, p = 0.01) and also with a slower rate of decline in the variety of activities over time (OR = 0.01, 95% CI: Conclusions Greater engagement in social activities may potentially be beneficial for preventing or delaying further cognitive decline among older adults with MCI. Alternatively, lesser engagement in social activities may be a marker of impending cognitive decline in MCI.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Hughes, T. F., Flatt, J. D., Fu, B., Chang, C. C., & Ganguli, M. (2013). Engagement in social activities and progression from mild to severe cognitive impairment: the MYHAT study. International psychogeriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610212002086

Vancouver

Hughes TF, Flatt JD, Fu B, Chang CC, Ganguli M. Engagement in social activities and progression from mild to severe cognitive impairment: the MYHAT study. International psychogeriatrics. 2013. doi:10.1017/s1041610212002086. PMID: 23257280.

BibTeX

@article{hughes2013-23257280,
  author  = {Hughes, T. F. and Flatt, J. D. and Fu, B. and Chang, C. C. and Ganguli, M.},
  title   = {{Engagement in social activities and progression from mild to severe cognitive impairment: the MYHAT study}},
  journal = {International psychogeriatrics},
  year    = {2013},
  doi     = {10.1017/s1041610212002086},
  pmid    = {23257280},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610212002086}
}

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Key findings

Results Lower risk of progression from mild to severe cognitive impairment was associated with both a greater level of frequency of engagement in social activities while mildly impaired (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55-0.93, p = 0.01) and also with a slower rate of decline in the variety of activities over time (OR = 0.01, 95% CI: <0.001-0.38, p = 0.02).

Why it matters

In this cohort of 816 older adults with mild cognitive impairment, more frequent engagement in social activities and a slower decline in the variety of activities were linked to lower risk of progressing to severe cognitive impairment over three years. The authors say greater social engagement may potentially help prevent or delay progression, but the study cannot show that social activity causes the lower risk.

Study details

Study designcohort study
Participants78
Effect sizeOR = 0.72; OR = 0.01
Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 57/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International psychogeriatrics)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	International Psychogeriatrics: journal h-index 161 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	7 / 12	A cohort study following people over time
Strength of evidence	3 / 5	Rated “moderate” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	1 / 5	2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	1 / 4	78 participants
Effect reported	3 / 3	Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar)
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	5 / 7	Cited 166 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	11.1 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013
Impact for its field and year	2 / 6	Cited 2.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	2 / 6	Cited by 3 other studies in this library
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 43 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Mary Ganguli: h-index 86 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	University of Pittsburgh: institution h-index 1,470 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	0 / 3	OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete)
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23257280)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	57 / 100	—

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