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Updated: May 12, 2026
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Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
State anxiety and cognitive functioning in older adults.
Olivier Potvin1, Valérie Bergua, Céline Meillon
1Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada, Centre de recherche de l'Hôpital Charles LeMoyne, Longueuil, Canada, Centre de recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Québec, Canada.
Summary
State anxiety in older adults may not harm cognitive function and can even improve performance in certain areas like verbal fluency. These complex relationships depend on anxiety levels and individual factors.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuropsychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- State anxiety is a common concern in older adults.
- Its impact on cognitive performance in this demographic is not fully understood.
- Previous research often overlooks confounding factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between state anxiety and neuropsychological test performance in older adults.
- To explore how anxiety severity and individual characteristics influence this relationship.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 955 community-dwelling older adults (age 66+) without dementia was assessed.
- State anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y.
- Cognitive function was evaluated across multiple domains including memory, processing speed, and executive function, with adjustments for numerous covariates.
Main Results:
- Mild and moderate state anxiety showed positive associations with verbal fluency and general cognitive functioning, respectively.
- High and moderate anxiety benefited short-term visual memory in low-education individuals and processing speed in medication users.
- Confounder adjustments significantly altered the perceived relationship between anxiety and cognition.
Conclusions:
- State anxiety in older adults is not uniformly detrimental to cognitive performance when confounders are considered.
- Anxiety can have neutral or even beneficial effects on specific cognitive domains.
- The interplay between anxiety, cognitive performance, and individual factors is complex and warrants further investigation.
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