Cognitive Growth and Dispersion at Midlife
Author Information
Author(s): Reynolds Chandra, Zheng Anqing, Muñoz Elizabeth, Corley Robin, Wadsworth Sally
Primary Institution: University of Colorado Boulder
Hypothesis
Dispersion in cognitive performance may predict poorer memory and dementia risk in older adults.
Conclusion
The study found that dispersion in cognitive growth from adolescence to midlife is correlated with cognitive performance and may reflect differences in cognitive maintenance and reserve.
Supporting Evidence
- Dispersion in cognitive performance may predict poorer memory and dementia risk.
- Education was found to predict more dispersion in cognitive performance referencing age 16 norms.
- Sibling similarity for cognitive dispersion measures was moderate for identical twins.
Takeaway
This study looks at how different people grow in their thinking skills from when they are teenagers to when they are middle-aged, and how that might affect their memory later on.
Methodology
The study used twin and sibling data to evaluate cognitive dispersion using a latent model approach across cognitive tasks.
Participant Demographics
Participants had a mean age of 33.30 years, with 53% being female.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
[0.31 to 0.48]
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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