Valgeir Thorvaldsson1, Peter Karlsson2,3, Johan Skoog2, Ingmar Skoog4, Boo Johansson2. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. valgeir.thorvaldsson@psy.gu.se. 2. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. 3. School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Sweden. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience of Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate birth cohort differences in level of cognition and rate of change in old age. METHODS: Data were drawn from three population-based Swedish samples including age-homogenous cohorts born 1901/02, 1906/07, and 1930, and measured on the same cognitive tests at ages 70, 75, and 79 as part of the Gerontological and Geriatric Populations Studies in Gothenburg (H70). We fitted growth curve models to the data using a Bayesian framework and derived estimates and inferences from the marginal posterior distributions. RESULTS: We found moderate to large birth cohort effects in level of performance on all cognitive outcomes. Later born cohorts, however, showed steeper linear rate of decline on reasoning, spatial ability, and perceptual- and motor-speed, but not on picture recognition memory and verbal ability. DISCUSSION: These findings provide strong evidence for substantial birth cohort effects in cognition in older ages and emphasize the importance of life long environmental factors in shaping cognitive aging trajectories. Inferences from cognitive testing, and standardization of test scores, in elderly populations must take into account the substantial birth cohort differences.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate birth cohort differences in level of cognition and rate of change in old age. METHODS: Data were drawn from three population-based Swedish samples including age-homogenous cohorts born 1901/02, 1906/07, and 1930, and measured on the same cognitive tests at ages 70, 75, and 79 as part of the Gerontological and Geriatric Populations Studies in Gothenburg (H70). We fitted growth curve models to the data using a Bayesian framework and derived estimates and inferences from the marginal posterior distributions. RESULTS: We found moderate to large birth cohort effects in level of performance on all cognitive outcomes. Later born cohorts, however, showed steeper linear rate of decline on reasoning, spatial ability, and perceptual- and motor-speed, but not on picture recognition memory and verbal ability. DISCUSSION: These findings provide strong evidence for substantial birth cohort effects in cognition in older ages and emphasize the importance of life long environmental factors in shaping cognitive aging trajectories. Inferences from cognitive testing, and standardization of test scores, in elderly populations must take into account the substantial birth cohort differences.
Authors: J B Bae; D M Lipnicki; J W Han; P S Sachdev; T H Kim; K P Kwak; B J Kim; S G Kim; J L Kim; S W Moon; J H Park; S-H Ryu; J C Youn; D Y Lee; D W Lee; S B Lee; J J Lee; J H Jhoo; I Skoog; J Najar; T R Sterner; N Scarmeas; M Yannakoulia; E Dardiotis; S Riedel-Heller; S Roehr; A Pabst; D Ding; Q Zhao; X Liang; A Lobo; C De-la-Cámara; E Lobo; K W Kim Journal: Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci Date: 2020-10-20 Impact factor: 6.892
Authors: Jong Bin Bae; Darren M Lipnicki; Ji Won Han; Perminder S Sachdev; Tae Hui Kim; Kyung Phil Kwak; Bong Jo Kim; Shin Gyeom Kim; Jeong Lan Kim; Seok Woo Moon; Joon Hyuk Park; Seung-Ho Ryu; Jong Chul Youn; Dong Young Lee; Dong Woo Lee; Seok Bum Lee; Jung Jae Lee; Jin Hyeong Jhoo; Juan J Llibre-Rodriguez; Jorge J Llibre-Guerra; Adolfo J Valhuerdi-Cepero; Karen Ritchie; Marie-Laure Ancelin; Isabelle Carriere; Ingmar Skoog; Jenna Najar; Therese Rydberg Sterner; Nikolaos Scarmeas; Mary Yannakoulia; Efthimios Dardiotis; Kenichi Meguro; Mari Kasai; Kei Nakamura; Steffi Riedel-Heller; Susanne Roehr; Alexander Pabst; Martin van Boxtel; Sebastian Köhler; Ding Ding; Qianhua Zhao; Xiaoniu Liang; Marcia Scazufca; Antonio Lobo; Concepción De-la-Cámara; Elena Lobo; Ki Woong Kim Journal: BMC Med Date: 2020-08-05 Impact factor: 8.775