Cohort Differences in Trajectories of Cognitive Aging
Abstract
To separate age and cohort effects on decline in normal cognitive aging, we applied growth curve models to longitudinal data from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging. Data from up to five measurement waves covering a 16-year period were available from 806 participants (age 50 to 88 at the first wave). We divided the sample into two cohorts by birth year: 1900-1925 and 1926-1948. We generated components to tap four cognitive domains: verbal and spatial ability, memory, and speed. We tested cohort differences by using two growth models: quadratic and two linear slopes. Results indicated significant cohort differences in average performance at age 67.5 for all components except speed. When we compared linear slopes during the same age range (age 62-78), we found no cohort differences. Trajectories of change with age in these four domains were fundamentally the same in middle-old age for individuals born during the first half of the 20th century.
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Participants born during the first and second quarters of the 20th century did not differ in rates of cognitive aging for a variety of abilities, including spatial and verbal tests.
“The results suggested that participants born during the first and the second quarters of the 20th century did not differ in rates of cognitive aging for a variety of abilities, including performances on spatial and verbal tests.”
From Cohort differences in cognitive aging and terminal decline in the Seattle Longitudinal Study. (2011) · cites this paper as Finkel, Reynolds, McArdle, and Pedersen (2007)
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Mental Exercise and Mental Aging: Evaluating the Validity of the “Use It or Lose It” Hypothesis
Salthouse, T. A. (2006) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1745-6916.2006.00005.x · Cited by 679 · see citing works
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Education and cognitive functioning across the life span
Lövdén, M., Fratiglioni, L., Glymour, M. M., Lindenberger, U., & Tucker-Drob, E. M. (2020) · Psychological Science in the Public Interest · doi:10.1177/1529100620920576 · Cited by 1,224 · see citing works
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Cohort differences in cognitive aging and terminal decline in the Seattle Longitudinal Study.
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- Authors
- Finkel, D., Reynolds, C. A., McArdle, J. J., & Pedersen, N. L.
- Affiliations
- Indiana University Southeast (US)
- Corresponding author
- Finkel, D.
- Venue
- The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2007-09-01
- Volume
- 62
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- P286-P294
- ISSN
- 1079-5014 (ISSN-L)
- 1758-5368
- OpenAlex
- W2170308894
- Cited by
- 83
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 5.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journals of Gerontology Series B (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (R01AG004563, AG-10175, AG04563, R01AG010175)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- cognitive aging, cohort effects, age effects, cognitive decline trajectories, verbal ability, spatial ability, memory, processing speed, birth cohort, Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Aptitude, Cognition, Humans, Human Development, Longitudinal Studies, Memory, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Reaction Time, Sweden, Linear Models
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