Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Influencing the Association Between Generativity, the Desire to Promote Well-Being of Younger Generations, and Purpose in Life in Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Overview

Journal J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci

Specialties Geriatrics
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2024 Apr 16

PMID 38623965

Authors

Caitlin S Walker

Linda Li

Giulia Baracchini

Jennifer Tremblay-Mercier

R Nathan Spreng

Maiya R Geddes

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Generativity, the desire and action to improve the well-being of younger generations, is associated with purpose in life among older adults. However, the neurobehavioral factors supporting the relationship between generativity and purpose in life remain unknown. This study aims to identify the functional neuroanatomy of generativity and mechanisms linking generativity with purpose in life in at-risk older adults.

Methods: Fifty-eight older adults (mean age = 70.8, SD = 5.03, 45 females) with a family history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) were recruited from the PREVENT-AD cohort. Participants underwent brain imaging and completed questionnaires assessing generativity, social support, and purpose in life. Mediation models examined whether social support mediated the association between generativity and purpose in life. Seed-to-voxel analyses investigated the association between generativity and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum (VS), and whether this rsFC moderated the relationship between generativity and purpose in life.

Results: Affectionate social support mediated the association between generative desire and purpose in life. Generative desire was associated with rsFC between VS and precuneus, and, vmPFC and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rdlPFC). The vmPFC-rdlPFC rsFC moderated the association between generative desire and purpose in life.

Discussion: These findings provide insight into how the brain supports complex social behavior and, separately, purpose in life in at-risk aging. Affectionate social support may be a putative target process to enhance purpose in life in older adults. This knowledge contributes to future developments of personalized interventions that promote healthy aging.

Citing Articles

Protocol for an intergenerational randomized controlled trial to enhance physical activity in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Walker C, Noriega de la Colina A, Li L, Boulanger C, Thovinakere N, Noly-Gandon A J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025; 12(3):100039.

PMID: 40015754 PMC: 11868723. DOI: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2024.100039.

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