Does ageing inevitably lead to declines in cognitive performance? A longitudinal study of elite academics

被引:35
作者
Christensen, H
Henderson, AS
Griffiths, K
Levings, C
机构
[1] NHMRC, Psychiat. Epidemiol. Res. Centre, Australian National University, Canberra
关键词
D O I
10.1016/S0191-8869(97)00022-6
中图分类号
B84 [心理学];
学科分类号
04 ; 0402 ;
摘要
In a 5-year longitudinal study, elderly eminent academics were compared with elderly blue-collar workers on tests of intelligence and memory. Both blue-collar workers and academics deteriorated on non-verbal tasks. Their rate of decline did not differ. Contrary to expectations, blue-collar workers improved while academics deteriorated on a test of verbal reasoning; Moreover, a greater 'proportion' of the academics deteriorated on Similarities and the National Adult Reading Test (NART). In a cross-sectional analysis, the performance of the academics was compared with that of young Ph.D. students. With the exception of the NART, stem completion and figure reproduction, the mean scores of the academics were dramatically lower than that of the Ph.D. students. A few individuals performed above the mean level of Ph.D. students on each test but no individual performed above the mean on more than two of the four main tasks. Problems of regression to the mean, differential survival effects and sample size were addressed. Two conclusions were drawn: high ability is not associated with slower rates of decline and cognitive deterioration is universal on tests of non-verbal intelligence. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
引用
收藏
页码:67 / 78
页数:12
相关论文
共 45 条
[11]   AGE-DIFFERENCES IN TESTS OF INTELLIGENCE AND MEMORY IN HIGH AND LOW ABILITY SUBJECTS - A 2ND SAMPLE OF EMINENT ACADEMICS AND SCIENTISTS [J].
CHRISTENSEN, H .
PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, 1994, 16 (06) :919-929
[12]   AGE-DIFFERENCES AND INTERINDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN COGNITION IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERLY [J].
CHRISTENSEN, H ;
MACKINNON, A ;
JORM, AF ;
HENDERSON, AS ;
SCOTT, LR ;
KORTEN, AE .
PSYCHOLOGY AND AGING, 1994, 9 (03) :381-390
[13]   THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MENTAL, SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN YOUNG AND OLD SUBJECTS [J].
CHRISTENSEN, H ;
MACKINNON, A .
AGE AND AGEING, 1993, 22 (03) :175-182
[14]   IS AGE KINDER TO THE INITIALLY MORE ABLE - A STUDY OF EMINENT SCIENTISTS AND ACADEMICS [J].
CHRISTENSEN, H ;
HENDERSON, AS .
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE, 1991, 21 (04) :935-946
[15]   EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT MEMORY IN DEMENTIA AND NORMAL AGING [J].
CHRISTENSEN, H ;
BIRRELL, P .
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG, 1991, 53 (02) :149-161
[16]   Activity levels and cognitive functioning in an elderly community sample [J].
Christensen, H ;
Korten, A ;
Jorm, AF ;
Henderson, AS ;
Scott, R ;
Mackinnon, AJ .
AGE AND AGEING, 1996, 25 (01) :72-80
[17]  
CHRISTENSEN H, IN PRESS INT J GERIA
[18]  
Day, 1979, QUASIEXPERIMENTATION, V351
[19]  
DEARY I, UNPUB IS AGE KINDER
[20]   THE WAIS PERFORMANCE OF THE AGED - A RETEST EVALUATION [J].
EISDORFER, C .
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY, 1963, 18 (02) :169-172