Table 1 Reserve-related constructs and suggested operationalization
From: Reserve and Reserve-building activities research: key challenges and future directions
Construct | Definition | Potential measures |
|---|---|---|
Genetic and inborn factors | Background determinants of brain function | Single nucleotide polymorphisms |
Brain Reserve | Brain structure | Head size, intracranial volume, synapse count, structural magnetic resonance imaging |
Neuronal network function | Made up of the brain, spinal cord and nerves, the central nervous system (CNS) is responsible for integrating sensory information and responding accordingly | Functional magnetic resonance imaging |
Environmental factors | Contextual factors specific to the person that may constrain or facilitate functioning | Stressful events (e.g., job loss, death of a loved one) or socioeconomic adversity (e.g., inability to pay bills, unsafe neighborhood, social isolation, etc.) or advantage (e.g., financial security, safe neighborhood, community connection, opportunity) |
Disease burden | Assaults to the brain due to disease or injury | Structural magnetic resonance imaging (e.g., lesion load, atrophy) |
Reserve | Compensatory or protective factor that limits the impact of assaults to the brain from the disease or injury. When low, then impact of assaults to the brain are magnified | The impact of Reserve on CNS functioning can be inferred by estimating the impact of past and current-Reserve building activities because the path from the activities to CNS functioning is through Reserve |
Reserve-building activities | Past and current achievement (occupational, educational) as well as enrichment activities across a range of domains (physical, cultural, intellectual, communal, spiritual, and lifestyle pursuits) | Patient-reported outcome measure such as the DeltaQuest Reserve-Building Activities Measure© |
Reserve-related person characteristics | Attitudes, values, and socio-emotional skills | Person-reported measures of perseverance, work value, and socio-emotional intelligence resources. May also consider measures of appraisal processes and personality |
Difference between observed and expected performance | Difference been observable performance on a task and the performance expected based on available covariates | Performance-based metrics such as cognitive, motor, and behavioral measures reflecting neurocognitive processing speed, executive function, physical functioning, emotional health, and/or disability |