DOI: 10.1177/08982643261501773 ISSN: 0898-2643

Parental Longevity and Cognitive Ability in Older Mexican Adults

Joseph Saenz, Laura E. Tanner
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Background

Parental longevity is linked to better offspring cognition, with limited evidence from middle-income countries. We examined associations between parental longevity and cognition in Mexico while controlling for health, socioeconomic status (SES), and genetic factors.

Methods

We used the 2018 wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study ( n = 5,049; age 65+). Maternal/paternal longevity was based on survival to age 85 or older. We used latent variable regressions to estimate associations with offspring cognition, adjusting for demographics, parental characteristics, health, health behaviors, SES, and APOE-ε4 carrier status.

Results

About 31% of respondents had a mother and 31% had a father who survived to age 85 or older. Maternal, but not paternal, longevity was independently associated with better offspring cognition. The maternal association persisted after full adjustment.

Conclusions

Maternal longevity was positively linked to offspring cognition independent of health, health behaviors, SES, and APOE-ε4. Intergenerational support and broader genetic factors may contribute to this association.

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