Tatiana Karpouzian-Rogers1,2, Beth Makowski-Woidan2, Alan Kuang3, Hui Zhang3, Angela Fought4, Janessa Engelmeyer2, M-Marsel Mesulam1,5, Sandra Weintraub1,2, Emily Rogalski1,2. 1. Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA. 2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA. 3. Division of Biostatistics, Department of Preventative Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA. 4. Department of Biostatistics and Informatic, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO. 5. Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Older adults with exceptional memory function, designated "SuperAgers," include individuals over age 80, with episodic memory at least as good as individuals ages 50s-60s. The Northwestern University SuperAging cohort is defined by performance on an established test of verbal memory. The purpose of this study was to determine if superior verbal memory extends to nonverbal memory in SuperAgers by examining differences in the National Institutes of Health Toolbox® (NIHTB) between older adults with exceptional memory and those with average-for-age cognition. METHOD: SuperAgers (n = 46) and cognitively average-for-age older adults (n = 31) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and the NIHTB Cognition module. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine differences on subtests between groups. RESULTS: There was a significant effect of group on the Picture Sequence Memory score, (p = .007), such that SuperAgers had higher scores than cognitively average-for-age older adults. There were no other group effects across other non-episodic memory NIHTB Cognition measures. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study demonstrated stronger performance on the memory measure of the NIHTB in SuperAgers compared to cognitively average-for-age older adults demonstrating superior memory in not only verbal but also nonverbal episodic memory in this group. Additionally, this study adds to the literature validating the NIHTB in older adults, particularly in a novel population of adults over age 80 with exceptional memory.
OBJECTIVE: Older adults with exceptional memory function, designated "SuperAgers," include individuals over age 80, with episodic memory at least as good as individuals ages 50s-60s. The Northwestern University SuperAging cohort is defined by performance on an established test of verbal memory. The purpose of this study was to determine if superior verbal memory extends to nonverbal memory in SuperAgers by examining differences in the National Institutes of Health Toolbox® (NIHTB) between older adults with exceptional memory and those with average-for-age cognition. METHOD: SuperAgers (n = 46) and cognitively average-for-age older adults (n = 31) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and the NIHTB Cognition module. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine differences on subtests between groups. RESULTS: There was a significant effect of group on the Picture Sequence Memory score, (p = .007), such that SuperAgers had higher scores than cognitively average-for-age older adults. There were no other group effects across other non-episodic memory NIHTB Cognition measures. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study demonstrated stronger performance on the memory measure of the NIHTB in SuperAgers compared to cognitively average-for-age older adults demonstrating superior memory in not only verbal but also nonverbal episodic memory in this group. Additionally, this study adds to the literature validating the NIHTB in older adults, particularly in a novel population of adults over age 80 with exceptional memory.
Entities:
Keywords:
NIH Toolbox; cognition; dementia; memory; normal aging; “SuperAgers”
Authors: Andrew O'Shea; Ronald A Cohen; Eric C Porges; Nicole R Nissim; Adam J Woods Journal: Front Aging Neurosci Date: 2016-12-08 Impact factor: 5.750
Authors: Beth E Snitz; Dana L Tudorascu; Zheming Yu; Elizabeth Campbell; Brian J Lopresti; Charles M Laymon; Davneet S Minhas; Neelesh K Nadkarni; Howard J Aizenstein; William E Klunk; Sandra Weintraub; Richard C Gershon; Ann D Cohen Journal: Alzheimers Dement (Amst) Date: 2020-05-15