WEEK 10 COGNITIVE AGEING Flashcards
What are fluid (Gf) skills?
Core cognitive mechanisms like working memory and processing speed that decline quickly with age.
What are crystallized (Gc) skills?
Skills acquired in the social environment (e.g., numeracy, verbal ability) that decline less steeply than Gf skills.
What is general intelligence (g factor)?
A common construct across cognitive skills, positively correlated with Gf and Gc scores.
What is the relationship between cognitive ability and academic achievement?
Cognitive ability is the best predictor of academic achievement, explaining 64% of variance (Deary et al., 2007).
How does cognitive ability affect professional achievement?
The g factor strongly predicts professional success, as academic performance often drives career outcomes (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004).
How does cognitive ability relate to health and longevity?
Higher general intelligence is associated with better health and longer life (Gottfredson & Deary, 2004).
What is ageing-associated cognitive decline?
A universal, non-clinical decline in cognitive performance that starts in middle age and accelerates over time.
What type of cognitive skills show a steeper decline with age?
Fluid (Gf) skills decline more rapidly than crystallized (Gc) skills
Why is cognitive decline difficult to predict?
Only 16% of variance in g decline can be explained by factors like genetics, lifestyle, and health (Ritchie et al., 2016).
What is dementia?
A general term for impaired memory, thinking, or decision-making that interferes with daily activities.
Is dementia a normal part of ageing?
No, dementia is not a normal part of ageing.
What percentage of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.
What was the leading cause of death in the UK in 2022?
Dementia.
What is the relationship between cognitive decline and dementia?
Dementia occurs when cognitive decline surpasses a threshold, but cognitive decline does not directly cause dementia.
What are biomarkers in dementia research?
Neuroimaging and biofluid indicators used to identify clusters of dementias for tailored treatments.
What factors influence cognitive abilities?
Fixed (e.g., genetics), accidental (e.g., head injury), and controllable factors (e.g., diet, exercise).
How does education impact IQ in youth?
Each additional year of schooling increases IQ by 1-5 points (Ritchie & Tucker-Drob, 2018).
How is education related to dementia rates?
Higher educational attainment is associated with lower dementia rates.
What does recent research suggest about education and cognitive decline?
Results are inconsistent; some studies find education slows cognitive decline, while others do not (Seblova et al., 2020).
What was the design of the study discussed?
25 years of data from 1,892 participants aged 40-80, measuring Gf and Gc using WAIS tests.
How does education affect baseline cognitive abilities?
Higher education impacts Gc more strongly than Gf at baseline.
How does age influence Gf and Gc slopes?
Younger age at baseline predicts milder cognitive decline.
What was the impact of repeated testing on cognitive performance?
More tests improved performance due to practice effects.
What is the role of education in dementia prevention?
Education may indirectly lower dementia rates by improving overall health and lifestyle.
Why do we struggle to predict cognitive decline?
Limited data and the random nature of ageing-associated decline make it challenging.
What is the difference between Gf and Gc regarding ageing?
Gf declines faster with age, while Gc remains more stable.
What is the socioeconomic connection to cognitive health?
Lower education is associated with risk factors like obesity and poor lifestyles, increasing cognitive decline and dementia risk.
What is the role of neuroimaging in dementia diagnosis?
It helps identify clusters of dementias but has limited predictive power in early stages.
What is the main challenge of studying cognitive decline?
Large-scale, long-term data are needed to detect between-individual differences.
What are common environmental factors affecting cognition?
Diet, exercise, air pollution, and socioeconomic status.
How does cognitive decline affect life quality?
It impacts job performance, independence, and overall well-being.
What does the term “ageing-associated dementia” refer to?
Dementias occurring with age-related cognitive decline but not directly caused by it.
What cognitive skill is most influenced by education at baseline?
Crystallized (Gc) skills show a stronger link to education.
How does baseline age affect cognitive decline?
Starting at a younger baseline age is associated with slower decline.
Why are higher educated people less likely to develop dementia?
Education brings health and lifestyle benefits that reduce brain damage risk.
What is the effect of education on Gf and Gc slopes?
Education had little effect on decline rates but influenced baseline performance.
What is the significance of the g factor in health outcomes?
It is linked to better health, professional success, and academic achievement.
What do inconsistencies in education studies reveal?
Education’s effect on cognitive decline and dementia is complex and not fully understood.
