Harmonizing Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Chen Diefei, Sekhon Vishaldeep, Roth David, Kaufmann Christopher, Gross Alden
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Hypothesis
Can harmonizing cognitive scores from different studies improve understanding of cognitive decline in older adults?
Conclusion
The harmonized cognition score effectively identifies cognitive impairment and tracks cognitive decline in older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- The harmonized score was lowest among the dementia group.
- Cognitive decline was steeper for participants with hypertension, stroke, or diabetes.
Takeaway
Researchers combined test results from two big studies to create a better way to measure how well older people think and remember.
Methodology
The study used an item banking approach to create a harmonized cognition score from cognitive tests in two large cohorts.
Participant Demographics
Participants were older adults from the Health and Retirement Study and the National Health and Aging Trends Study.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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