Cognitive reserve in ALS: The role of occupational skills and requirements.

Jobs requiring greater reasoning abilities, social skills, and humanities knowledge were related to preserved cognitive functioning consistent with CR, while jobs with greater exposure to environmental hazards and technical demands were linked to poorer cognitive functioning. We did not find evidence of MR as no protective effects of occupational skills and requirements were found for motor symptoms, and jobs involving greater precision skills and reasoning abilities were associated with worse motor functioning. Occupational history provides insight into protective and risk factors for variable degrees of cognitive and motor dysfunction in ALS.