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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Proposal for a hierarchical, multidimensional, and multivariate approach to investigate cognitive aging
Alejandra Machado1, José Barroso2, Yaiza Molina3
1Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
This study used novel statistical models to analyze cognitive aging in 460 adults. Findings reveal age is strongly linked to brain structure and cognitive function, particularly visual memory.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Cognitive aging is a complex process influenced by multiple factors.
- Understanding the interplay between aging, brain structure, and cognitive function is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cognitive aging using a multidimensional, hierarchical, and multivariate statistical approach.
- To analyze the simultaneous associations between age and demographic, clinical, cognitive, and neuroimaging measures.
Main Methods:
- Application of Orthogonal Partial Least Squares to Latent Structures (OPLS) and hierarchical models for cognitive aging research.
- Simultaneous analysis of 316 measures in 460 cognitively normal individuals aged 35-85 years.
Main Results:
- Age demonstrated a strong association with brain structure, particularly cortical thickness in frontal and parietal regions.
- Cognitive function showed a significant association with age, with visual memory being more strongly affected than executive functions or processing speed.
- Clinical measures exhibited weaker associations with age compared to neuroimaging and cognitive data.
Conclusions:
- OPLS and hierarchical models offer a promising approach to dissecting the complexity of cognitive aging.
- The study highlights a neuroimaging-cognitive-clinical hierarchy in the association with aging.
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