Cognitive function has a stronger correlation with perceived age than with chronological age.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomarkers
• Cognitive Aging

Background:

• Perceived age from facial appearance is a robust aging biomarker.
• It predicts survival, telomere length, DNA methylation, and correlates with atherosclerosis and bone status.
• Its relationship with cognitive decline metrics requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if dementia metrics correlate better with perceived age than chronological age.
• To investigate perceived age as a biomarker for cognitive decline.

Main Methods:

• 124 patients suspected of cognitive decline were assessed.
• Evaluations included Mini-Mental State Examination, Vitality Index, Geriatric Depression Scale-15, ADL, and Barthel Index.
• Perceived age was determined by 10 experienced raters from photographs.

Main Results:

• Perceived age showed excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.941).
• Perceived age correlated significantly better with Mini-Mental State Examination (female) and Vitality Index (total, female) than chronological age.
• No significant difference was found for Geriatric Depression Scale-15, ADL, or Barthel Index.

Conclusions:

• Perceived age is a reliable biomarker for cognitive assessment.
• Facial appearance-based perceived age offers insights into cognitive status in older adults.