Physical Activity and Brain Health in Older Latino Adults: Is There a Moderating Role of Acculturation

Three complementary studies were conducted to examine the role of language-based and social-based acculturation in the relationship between physical activity (PA) and cognitive or brain health among older Latino adults. Manuscripts one and two were cross-sectional studies, and manuscript three was a randomized controlled trial using secondary data analysis. Manuscript one aimed to examine whether language-based and social based acculturation moderated the relationship between self-reported PA and cognition in older Latino adults. Using baseline data from 200 non-demented participants in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Latino Core study, results showed that language-based acculturation moderated the associations of PA with working memory and semantic memory, such that higher language acculturation strengthened both relationships. Social based acculturation also moderated the PA–working memory link, with stronger associations observed among those with lower social acculturation. These findings indicate that distinct acculturation domains uniquely shape how PA relates to specific cognitive functions in older Latinos. Manuscript two aimed to examine whether language-based and social based acculturation moderated the relationship between physical activity and brain structure, specifically total gray matter and white matter volumes in older Latino adults without dementia. Using cross-sectional data from 55 participants in the RADC Latino Core study, MRI results showed that social-based acculturation significantly influenced the association between physical activity and total gray matter volume. Participants with lower social-based acculturation exhibited a stronger positive link between physical activity and gray matter volume. There were no significant effects of language-based acculturation and no effects on white matter volume. These findings suggest that older Latinos with lower social based acculturation, who may retain more culturally rooted social networks, could derive greater brain structural benefits from physical activity. This highlights the importance of sociocultural context when designing physical activity interventions to support healthy brain aging. Manuscript three assessed whether language-based acculturation and social based acculturation moderated changes in physical activity and cognitive performance over time among older Latino adults enrolled in the BAILAMOS Latin dance program or a health education control. The analysis revealed that higher social based acculturation enhanced gains in semantic memory among dance program participants, while no moderation was observed for language-based acculturation or for changes in physical activity or other cognitive domains. This suggests that although a culturally tailored dance intervention benefits all participants, social based acculturation may selectively amplify certain cognitive improvements. Together, these studies demonstrate that language-based acculturation and social based acculturation shape cross-sectional associations between physical activity and both cognitive function and brain structure, while culturally grounded interventions can benefit older Latino adults across all levels of acculturation, with social based acculturation providing additional cognitive advantages.