Cognitive Abilities in Old Age: Results from the Zurich Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging

2008 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Zimprich ◽  
Mike Martin ◽  
Matthias Kliegel ◽  
Myriam Dellenbach ◽  
Philippe Rast ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Verbal Knowledge

The Zurich Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging (ZULU) is an ongoing longitudinal study on the structure and development of cognition in old age. At the first assessment, the N = 364 participants had an average age of 73 years (age range: 65-80 years), and 46% were female. In total, a battery of 14 cognitive tests, including five consecutive verbal learning trials, were administered and adequately described by a measurement model of six first-order factors (processing speed, working memory, reasoning, learning, memory, and verbal knowledge) and one second-order factor of general cognitive ability. The cross-sectional age relations of the six cognitive abilities were, apart from processing speed and verbal knowledge, mediated by the general cognitive ability factor. From a conceptual perspective, these results imply that cognitive aging is not a completely uniform process driven by a single causal variable.

scholarly journals Physical frailty and decline in general and specific cognitive abilities: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catharine Gale ◽  
Stuart J Ritchie ◽  
John M Starr ◽  
Ian J Deary
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Visuospatial Ability ◽  
Physical Frailty ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Memory Processing ◽  
Lothian Birth Cohort

BackgroundPhysical frailty is associated with many adverse outcomes including disability, chronic disease, hospitalisation, institutionalisation and death. It is unclear what impact it might have on the rate of normal cognitive ageing. We investigated whether physical frailty was related to initial level of, and change in, cognitive abilities from age 70 to 79 years.MethodParticipants were 950 members of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Physical frailty was assessed at age 70 years using the Fried criteria. Cognitive function was assessed at ages 70, 73, 76 and 79 years. We used linear regression to examine cross-sectional and prospective associations between physical frailty status at age 70 years and factor score estimates for baseline level of and change in four cognitive domains (visuospatial ability, memory, processing speed and crystallised ability) and in general cognitive ability.ResultsPhysical frailty, but not prefrailty, was associated with lower baseline levels of visuospatial ability, memory, processing speed and general cognitive ability after control for age, sex, education, depressive symptoms, smoking and number of chronic illnesses. Physical frailty was associated with greater decline in each cognitive domain: age-adjusted and sex-adjusted standardised regression coefficients (95% CIs) were: −0.45 (−0.70 to –0.20) for visuospatial ability, −0.32 (−0.56 to –0.07) for memory, −0.47 (−0.72 to −0.22) for processing speed, −0.43 (−0.68 to –0.18) for crystallised ability and −0.45 (−0.70 to –0.21) for general cognitive ability. These associations were only slightly attenuated after additional control for other covariates.ConclusionPhysical frailty may be an important indicator of age-related decline across multiple cognitive domains.

scholarly journals Associations between total MRI-visible small vessel disease burden and domain-specific cognitive abilities in a community-dwelling older-age cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
OKL Hamilton ◽  
SR Cox ◽  
L Ballerini ◽  
ME Bastin ◽  
J Corley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Small Vessel Disease ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Small Vessel ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Vessel Disease

AbstractCerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a leading cause of vascular cognitive impairment, however the precise nature of SVD-related cognitive deficits, and their associations with structural brain changes, remain unclear. We combined computational volumes and visually-rated MRI markers of SVD to quantify total SVD burden, using data from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n=540; age:72.6±0.7 years). We found negative associations between total SVD burden and general cognitive ability (standardised β: −0.363; 95%CI: [−0.49, −0.23]; p(FDR)<0.001), processing speed (−0.371 [−0.50, −0.24]; p(FDR)<0.001), verbal memory (−0.265; [−0.42, −0.11]; p(FDR)=0.002), and visuospatial ability (−0.170; [−0.32, −0.02]; p(FDR)=0.029). Only the association between SVD burden and processing speed remained after accounting for covariance with general cognitive ability (−0.325; [−0.61, −0.04]; p(FDR)=0.029). This suggests that SVD’s association with poorer processing speed is not driven by, but is independent of its association with poorer general cognitive ability. Tests of processing speed may be particularly sensitive to the cognitive impact of SVD, but all major cognitive domains should be tested to determine the full range of SVD-related cognitive characteristics.

scholarly journals Physical frailty and decline in general and specific cognitive abilities: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catharine R Gale ◽  
Stuart James Ritchie ◽  
Ian Deary
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Visuospatial Ability ◽  
Physical Frailty ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Memory Processing ◽  
Lothian Birth Cohort

Background: Physical frailty is associated with many adverse outcomes including disability, chronic disease, hospitalization, institutionalization and death. It is unclear what impact it might have on the rate of normal cognitive ageing. We investigated whether physical frailty was related to initial level of, and change in, cognitive abilities from age 70 to 79 years. Method: Participants were 950 members of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Physical frailty was assessed at age 70 using the Fried criteria. Cognitive function was assessed at ages 70, 73, 76 and 79. We used linear regression to examine the associations between physical frailty status at age 70 and factor score estimates for baseline level of and change in four cognitive domains (visuospatial ability, memory, processing speed, and crystallized ability) and in general cognitive ability.Results: Physical frailty, but not pre-frailty, was associated with lower baseline levels of visuospatial ability, memory, processing speed, and general cognitive ability after control for age, sex, education, depressive symptoms, smoking, and number of chronic illnesses. Physical frailty was associated with greater decline in each cognitive domain: age- and sex-adjusted standardized regression coefficients (95% confidence intervals) were: -0.45 (-0.70, -0.20) for visuospatial ability, -0.32 (-0.56, -0.07) for memory, -0.47 (-0.72, -0.22) for processing speed, -0.43 (-0.68, -0.18) for crystallized ability, and -0.45 (-0.70, -0.21) for general cognitive ability. Further adjustment for the other covariates had only modest attenuating effects on these associations and they remained significant.Conclusion: Physical frailty may be an important indicator of age-related decline across multiple cognitive domains.

scholarly journals Health literacy, cognitive ability and smoking: a cross-sectional analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. e023929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Fawns-Ritchie ◽  
John M Starr ◽  
Ian J Deary
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Current Smoker ◽  
Full Time ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Occupational Social Class ◽  
English Longitudinal Study ◽  
A Current

ObjectivesWe used logistic regression to investigate whether health literacy and cognitive ability independently predicted whether participants have ever smoked and, in ever smokers, whether participants still smoked nowadays.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThis study used data from Wave 2 (2004–05) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which is a cohort study of adults who live in England and who, at baseline, were aged 50 years and older.Participants8734 (mean age=65.31 years, SD=10.18) English Longitudinal Study of Ageing participants who answered questions about their current and past smoking status, and completed cognitive ability and health literacy tests at Wave 2.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measures were whether participants reported ever smoking at Wave 2 and whether ever smokers reported still smoking at Wave 2.ResultsIn models adjusting for age, sex, age left full-time education and occupational social class, limited health literacy (OR=1.096, 95% CI 0.988 to 1.216) and higher general cognitive ability (OR=1.000, 95% CI 0.945 to 1.057) were not associated with reporting ever smoking. In ever smokers, limited compared with adequate health literacy was associated with greater odds of being a current smoker (OR=1.194, 95% CI 1.034 to 1.378) and a 1 SD higher general cognitive ability score was associated with reduced odds of being a current smoker (OR=0.878, 95% CI 0.810 to 0.951), when adjusting for age, sex, age left full-time education and occupational social class.ConclusionsWhen adjusting for education and occupation variables, this study found that health literacy and cognitive ability were independently associated with whether ever smokers continued to smoke nowadays, but not with whether participants had ever smoked.

IC-P-100: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study of Age-Related Shrinkage in the Superior,Middle and Inferior Frontal Gyrus in Old and Very Old Age

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. S40-S40
Author(s):  
Olof E. Lindberg ◽  
Carl-Henrik Ehrenkrona ◽  
Linnea Engström ◽  
Leif A. Svensson ◽  
Eva Öhrndahl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Very Old Age

scholarly journals Cognitive dysfunction in adolescents with chronic fatigue: a cross-sectional study

2015 ◽  
Vol 100 (9) ◽  
pp. 838-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dag Sulheim ◽  
Even Fagermoen ◽  
Øyvind Stople Sivertsen ◽  
Anette Winger ◽  
Vegard Bruun Wyller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cognitive Inhibition ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional

ObjectiveTo compare cognitive function in adolescents with chronic fatigue with cognitive function in healthy controls (HC).Study designCross-sectional study.SettingPaediatric department at Oslo University Hospital, Norway.Participants120 adolescents with chronic fatigue (average age 15.4 years; range 12–18) and 39 HC (average age 15.2 years; range 12–18).MethodsThe adolescents completed a neurocognitive test battery measuring processing speed, working memory, cognitive inhibition, cognitive flexibility, verbal learning and verbal memory, and questionnaires addressing demographic data, depression symptoms, anxiety traits, fatigue and sleep problems. Parents completed the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), which measures the everyday executive functions of children.ResultsAdolescents with chronic fatigue had impaired cognitive function compared to HC regarding processing speed (mean difference 3.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.5, p=0.003), working memory (−2.4, −3.7 to −1.1, p<0.001), cognitive inhibition response time (6.2, 0.8 to 11.7, p=0.025) and verbal learning (−1.7, −3.2 to −0.3, p=0.022). The BRIEF results indicated that everyday executive functions were significantly worse in the chronic fatigue group compared to the HC (11.2, 8.2 to 14.3, p<0.001). Group differences remained largely unaffected when adjusted for symptoms of depression, anxiety traits and sleep problems.ConclusionsAdolescents with chronic fatigue had impaired cognitive function of clinical relevance, measured by objective cognitive tests, in comparison to HC. Working memory and processing speed may represent core difficulties.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Associations Between Loneliness and Cognitive Ability in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 1376-1386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith A Okely ◽  
Ian J Deary
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Birth Cohort Study ◽  
Visuospatial Ability ◽  
Lothian Birth Cohort ◽  
Longitudinal Associations ◽  
Reciprocal Associations

Abstract Objectives Loneliness is associated with poorer cognitive function in old age; however, the direction of this association is unknown. We tested for reciprocal associations between loneliness and the cognitive ability domains of processing speed, visuospatial ability, verbal memory, and crystallized ability. Method We used three triennial waves of longitudinal data from the Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1936, and tested for cross-lagged associations between loneliness and cognitive abilities using cross-lagged panel models. Results Better processing speed, visuospatial ability, or crystallized ability at age 73, was associated with less positive changes in loneliness between ages 73 and 76; however, these associations were not replicated between ages 76 and 79. Loneliness at ages 73 and 76 did not predict subsequent changes in cognitive abilities. Discussion Our findings indicate an association between cognitive ability and loneliness, such that individuals with lower cognitive abilities at age 73 may be at a slightly higher risk of becoming lonely. However, we did not find support for the hypothesis that loneliness causes a decline in cognitive health.

What Is IQ? Life Beyond “General Intelligence”

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristof Kovacs ◽  
Andrew R. A. Conway
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Latent Trait ◽  
Cognitive Activity ◽  
General Intelligence ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Standard View ◽  
Different Content ◽  
Recent Account

For more than a century, the standard view in the field of human intelligence has been that there is a “general intelligence” that permeates all human cognitive activity. This general cognitive ability is supposed to explain the positive manifold, the finding that intelligence tests with different content all correlate. Yet there is a lack of consensus regarding the psychological or neural basis of such an ability. A recent account, process-overlap theory, explains the positive manifold without proposing general intelligence. As a consequence of the theory, IQ is redefined as an emergent formative construct rather than a reflective latent trait. This implies that IQ should be interpreted as an index of specific cognitive abilities rather than the reflection of an underlying general cognitive ability.

scholarly journals Education and Cognitive Functioning Across the Life Span

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lövdén ◽  
Laura Fratiglioni ◽  
M. Maria Glymour ◽  
Ulman Lindenberger ◽  
Elliot M. Tucker-Drob
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Positive Effects

Cognitive abilities are important predictors of educational and occupational performance, socioeconomic attainment, health, and longevity. Declines in cognitive abilities are linked to impairments in older adults’ everyday functions, but people differ from one another in their rates of cognitive decline over the course of adulthood and old age. Hence, identifying factors that protect against compromised late-life cognition is of great societal interest. The number of years of formal education completed by individuals is positively correlated with their cognitive function throughout adulthood and predicts lower risk of dementia late in life. These observations have led to the propositions that prolonging education might (a) affect cognitive ability and (b) attenuate aging-associated declines in cognition. We evaluate these propositions by reviewing the literature on educational attainment and cognitive aging, including recent analyses of data harmonized across multiple longitudinal cohort studies and related meta-analyses. In line with the first proposition, the evidence indicates that educational attainment has positive effects on cognitive function. We also find evidence that cognitive abilities are associated with selection into longer durations of education and that there are common factors (e.g., parental socioeconomic resources) that affect both educational attainment and cognitive development. There is likely reciprocal interplay among these factors, and among cognitive abilities, during development. Education–cognitive ability associations are apparent across the entire adult life span and across the full range of education levels, including (to some degree) tertiary education. However, contrary to the second proposition, we find that associations between education and aging-associated cognitive declines are negligible and that a threshold model of dementia can account for the association between educational attainment and late-life dementia risk. We conclude that educational attainment exerts its influences on late-life cognitive function primarily by contributing to individual differences in cognitive skills that emerge in early adulthood but persist into older age. We also note that the widespread absence of educational influences on rates of cognitive decline puts constraints on theoretical notions of cognitive aging, such as the concepts of cognitive reserve and brain maintenance. Improving the conditions that shape development during the first decades of life carries great potential for improving cognitive ability in early adulthood and for reducing public-health burdens related to cognitive aging and dementia.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document