Effect of non-optimum ambient temperature on cognitive function of elderly women in Germany

Non-optimum ambient temperature has been associated with a variety of health outcomes in the elderly population. However, few studies have examined its adverse effects on neurocognitive function. In this study, we explored the temperature-cognition association in elderly women. We investigated 777 elderly women from the German SALIA cohort during the 2007–2010 follow-up. Cognitive function was evaluated using the CERAD-Plus test battery. Modelled data on daily weather conditions were assigned to the residential addresses. The temperature-cognition association over lag 0–10 days was estimated using multivariable regression with distributed lag non-linear model. The daily mean temperature ranged between −6.7 and 26.0 °C during the study period for the 777 participants. We observed an inverse U-shaped association in elderly women, with the optimum temperature (15.3 °C) located at the 68th percentile of the temperature range. The average z-score of global cognitive function declined by −0.31 (95%CI: 0.73, 0.11) for extreme cold (the 2.5th percentile of temperature range) and −0.92 (95%CI: 1.50, −0.33) for extreme heat (the 97.5th percentile of temperature range), in comparison to the optimum temperature. Episodic memory was more sensitive to heat exposure, while semantic memory and executive function were the two cognitive domains sensitive to cold exposure. Individuals living in an urban area and those with a low educational level were particularly sensitive to extreme heat. In summary, non-optimum temperature was inversely associated with cognitive function in elderly women, with the effect size for heat exposure particularly substantial. The strength of association varied by cognitive domains and individual characteristics.