Applied themes in ageing

Question 1

Mental exercise

Answer 1

Intuitive reasoning
More you train your brain, the more mentally fit you will be

Theoretical reasoning
WM capacity constrains a wide range of cognitive functions
Expanding WM capacity should also benefit the cognitive functions that it constrains

Question 2

Singh-Manoux et al (2003)

Answer 2

Whether activities entailing high cognitive effort are more strongly related to peoples cognitive abilities than low cognitive effort activities

Study showed that the positive association between high cognitive effort leisure activities and cognitive ability independent of age, education and SES

If you have high cognitive ability, the more likely you may want to do these high cognitive leisure activities

Question 3

Mental exercise : training

Answer 3

Methodological issues in training literature :

• Training conditions
• Random assignment and pre-test differences in function
• Active vs passive control groups
• Publication bias
• Adaptive procedures, adjusting for task difficulty

Theoretical issues in training literature :

• What are we training exactly?

Practical issues in training literature :

• Maintenance of any training gains over the long term
• Initial cognitive ability as potential moderator of intervention
• Near and far transfer effects

Question 4

Mental exercise : Training (Near and far transfer effects)

Question 5

Training tasks

Answer 5

Karbach & Verhaeghen (2014)

• Training gains in both the trained task but also evidence of near and far transfer
• No age difference in effectiveness

Issues with this meta-analysis

• Far transfer (reasoning and task switching merged)
• No correlation
• Unclear which studies were used (of the 17, 2 had no control group, 1 study was based on the same sample as another, 2 studies were left out, 1 outlier)

When you have properly conducted trials, you see very little gains

The effectiveness of mental exercise in terms of far transfer is controversial, only clear benefits for trained tasks

Question 6

Mental exercise : Lifestyles

Answer 6

Rowe & Kahn (1987) and the characteristics of successful ageing :

• High cognitive and physical function
• Low probability of disease and disability
• Active engagement in life

Good mental health, more likely to engage in leisure activities

Question 7

Mental exercise : training lifestyles

Answer 7

Park et al (2013)

Productive engagement

Tried to train lifestyles

Intervention phase and test phase

EM showed best benefits from being in photography lifestyle group > Not sure why EM specifically

Question 8

Disconnect from lab and real life

Answer 8

Age