WEEK 10 COGNITIVE AGEING

Question 1

What are fluid (Gf) skills?

Answer 1

Core cognitive mechanisms like working memory and processing speed that decline quickly with age.

Question 2

What are crystallized (Gc) skills?

Answer 2

Skills acquired in the social environment (e.g., numeracy, verbal ability) that decline less steeply than Gf skills.

Question 3

What is general intelligence (g factor)?

Answer 3

A common construct across cognitive skills, positively correlated with Gf and Gc scores.

Question 4

What is the relationship between cognitive ability and academic achievement?

Answer 4

Cognitive ability is the best predictor of academic achievement, explaining 64% of variance (Deary et al., 2007).

Question 5

How does cognitive ability affect professional achievement?

Answer 5

The g factor strongly predicts professional success, as academic performance often drives career outcomes (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004).

Question 6

How does cognitive ability relate to health and longevity?

Answer 6

Higher general intelligence is associated with better health and longer life (Gottfredson & Deary, 2004).

Question 7

What is ageing-associated cognitive decline?

Answer 7

A universal, non-clinical decline in cognitive performance that starts in middle age and accelerates over time.

Question 8

What type of cognitive skills show a steeper decline with age?

Answer 8

Fluid (Gf) skills decline more rapidly than crystallized (Gc) skills

Question 9

Why is cognitive decline difficult to predict?

Answer 9

Only 16% of variance in g decline can be explained by factors like genetics, lifestyle, and health (Ritchie et al., 2016).

Question 10

What is dementia?

Answer 10

A general term for impaired memory, thinking, or decision-making that interferes with daily activities.

Question 11

Is dementia a normal part of ageing?

Answer 11

No, dementia is not a normal part of ageing.

Question 12

What percentage of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 12

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.

Question 13

What was the leading cause of death in the UK in 2022?

Answer 13

Dementia.

Question 14

What is the relationship between cognitive decline and dementia?

Answer 14

Dementia occurs when cognitive decline surpasses a threshold, but cognitive decline does not directly cause dementia.

Question 15

What are biomarkers in dementia research?

Answer 15

Neuroimaging and biofluid indicators used to identify clusters of dementias for tailored treatments.

Question 16

What factors influence cognitive abilities?

Answer 16

Fixed (e.g., genetics), accidental (e.g., head injury), and controllable factors (e.g., diet, exercise).

Question 17

How does education impact IQ in youth?

Answer 17

Each additional year of schooling increases IQ by 1-5 points (Ritchie & Tucker-Drob, 2018).

Question 18

How is education related to dementia rates?

Answer 18

Higher educational attainment is associated with lower dementia rates.

Question 19

What does recent research suggest about education and cognitive decline?

Answer 19

Results are inconsistent; some studies find education slows cognitive decline, while others do not (Seblova et al., 2020).

Question 20

What was the design of the study discussed?

Answer 20

25 years of data from 1,892 participants aged 40-80, measuring Gf and Gc using WAIS tests.

Question 21

How does education affect baseline cognitive abilities?

Answer 21

Higher education impacts Gc more strongly than Gf at baseline.

Question 22

How does age influence Gf and Gc slopes?

Answer 22

Younger age at baseline predicts milder cognitive decline.

Question 23

What was the impact of repeated testing on cognitive performance?

Answer 23

More tests improved performance due to practice effects.

Question 24

What is the role of education in dementia prevention?

Answer 24

Education may indirectly lower dementia rates by improving overall health and lifestyle.

Question 25

Why do we struggle to predict cognitive decline?

Answer 25

Limited data and the random nature of ageing-associated decline make it challenging.

Question 26

What is the difference between Gf and Gc regarding ageing?

Answer 26

Gf declines faster with age, while Gc remains more stable.

Question 27

What is the socioeconomic connection to cognitive health?

Answer 27

Lower education is associated with risk factors like obesity and poor lifestyles, increasing cognitive decline and dementia risk.

Question 28

What is the role of neuroimaging in dementia diagnosis?

Answer 28

It helps identify clusters of dementias but has limited predictive power in early stages.

Question 29

What is the main challenge of studying cognitive decline?

Answer 29

Large-scale, long-term data are needed to detect between-individual differences.

Question 30

What are common environmental factors affecting cognition?

Answer 30

Diet, exercise, air pollution, and socioeconomic status.

Question 31

How does cognitive decline affect life quality?

Answer 31

It impacts job performance, independence, and overall well-being.

Question 32

What does the term “ageing-associated dementia” refer to?

Answer 32

Dementias occurring with age-related cognitive decline but not directly caused by it.

Question 33

What cognitive skill is most influenced by education at baseline?

Answer 33

Crystallized (Gc) skills show a stronger link to education.

Question 34

How does baseline age affect cognitive decline?

Answer 34

Starting at a younger baseline age is associated with slower decline.

Question 35

Why are higher educated people less likely to develop dementia?

Answer 35

Education brings health and lifestyle benefits that reduce brain damage risk.

Question 36

What is the effect of education on Gf and Gc slopes?

Answer 36

Education had little effect on decline rates but influenced baseline performance.

Question 37

What is the significance of the g factor in health outcomes?

Answer 37

It is linked to better health, professional success, and academic achievement.

Question 38

What do inconsistencies in education studies reveal?

Answer 38

Education’s effect on cognitive decline and dementia is complex and not fully understood.