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Normative Data for the Cognitively Intact Oldest-Old: The Framingham Heart Study
Ivy N Miller1, Jayandra J Himali, Alexa S Beiser
1a Department of Psychology , Minneapolis VA Healthcare System , Minneapolis , Minnesota , USA.
Experimental Aging Research
|July 28, 2015
Summary
Cognitive performance varies significantly with age, especially in the oldest-old. This study provides normative data for aging cognition, highlighting the need for age-specific assessments.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Aging
Background:
- Increasing lifespan leads to a growing population of oldest-old individuals.
- Current research often focuses on cognitive impairment in extreme age, with ongoing debate about normal cognitive function.
- Establishing normative cognitive data for the oldest-old is crucial for accurate assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide normative cognitive data for individuals aged 80 and older.
- To compare cognitive performance in cognitively intact elderly individuals from the Framingham Heart Study.
- To analyze cognitive differences within and between age groups of the oldest-old.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 1302 participants aged 65+ from the Framingham Heart Study, stratified into 5-year age bands.
- Multivariate linear regression, adjusting for gender, WRAT-III Reading score, and cohort.
- Comparison of cognitive tests between individuals aged 80+ (n=418) and 65-79 (n=884), and within oldest-old age bands.
Main Results:
- Normative data for cognitive performance across all participants are presented.
- Significant cognitive differences were observed between young-old and oldest-old groups (p < .05).
- Analysis within oldest-old age bands also revealed significant cognitive variations (p < .05).
Conclusions:
- Cognitive performance shows significant differences and increased variability with advancing age.
- The findings underscore the necessity of utilizing age-appropriate normative data for the oldest-old population.
- Accurate cognitive assessment in extreme aging requires tailored reference data.