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
Authors: Walker Caitlin S , Li Linda , Baracchini Giulia , Tremblay-Mercier Jennifer , Spreng R Nathan ,   The PREVENT-AD Research Group, Aisen Paul , Anthal Elena , Appleby Melissa , Bellec Pierre , Benbouhoud Fatiha , Bohbot Véronique , Brandt Jason , Breitner John C S , Brunelle Céline , Chakravarty Mallar , Cheewakriengkrai Laksanun , Collins Louis , Couture Doris , Craft Suzanne , Dadar Mahsa , Daoust Leslie-Ann , Das Samir , Dauar-Tedeschi Marina , Dea Doris , Desrochers Nicole , Dubuc Sylvie , Duclair Guerda , Dufour Marianne , Eisenberg Mark , El-Khoury Rana , Etienne Pierre , Evans Alan , Faubert Anne-Marie , Ferdinand Fabiola , Fonov Vladimir , Fontaine David , Francoeur Renaud , Frenette Joanne , Gagné Guylaine , Gauthier Serge , Geddes Maiya R , Gervais Valérie , Giles Renuka , Gonneaud Julie , Gordon Renee , Greco Claudia , Hoge Rick , Hudon Louise , Ituria-Medina Yasser , Kat Justin , Kazazian Christina , Kligman Stephanie , Kostopoulos Penelope , Labonté Anne , Lafaille-Magnan Marie-Elyse , Lee Tanya , Leoutsakos Jeannie-Marie , Leppert Illana , Madjar Cécile , Mahar Laura , Maltais Jean-Robert , Mathieu Axel , Mathotaarachchi Sulantha , Mayrand Ginette , McSweeney Melissa , Meyer Pierre-François , Michaud Diane , Miron Justin , Morris John C , Multhaup Gerhard , Münter Lisa-Marie , Nair Vasavan , Near Jamie , Newbold-Fox Holly , Nilsson Nathalie , Pagé Véronique , Pascoal Tharick A , Petkova Mirela , Picard Cynthia , Binette Alexa Pichet , Pogossova Galina , Poirier Judes , Rajah Natasha , Remz Jordana , Rioux Pierre , Rosa-Neto Pedro , Sager Mark A , Saint-Fort Eunice Farah , Savard Mélissa , Soucy Jean-Paul , Sperling Reisa A , Spreng Nathan , St-Onge Frederic , Tardif Christine , Théroux Louise , Thomas Ronald G , Toussaint Paule-Joanne , Tremblay-Mercier Jennifer , Tuwaig Miranda , Vachon-Presseau Etienne , Vallée Isabelle , Venugopalan Vinod , Villeneuve Sylvia , Ducharme Simon , Wan Karen , Wang Seqian , Geddes Maiya R 
Published: April 2024

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.