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PubMed · 14639956

[Cognitive function as the factor determining higher-level competence in community-dwelling elderly: comprehensive health examination for the community elderly for the prevention of the geriatric syndrome and a bed-ridden state ("otasha-kenshin")].

Hajime Iwasa·Takao Suzuki·Hideyo Yoshida·Hunkyung Kim·Masaya Shimmei·Yuko Yoshida·Taketo Furuna·Miho Sugiura·Satoshi Nishizawa·Hu Xiuying·Shoji Shinkai·Shu Kumagai·Yoshinori Fujiwara·Shuichiro Watanabe·Harumi Yukawa
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Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine age-related differences in cognitive function, and their relation to higher-level competence of elderly living in an urban community. METHOD: Participants were 438 individuals (males 168, females 270) aged 70 to 84 years living in an urban community in Tokyo. Three cognitive performance tests, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Digit Symbol, Word Fluency Test, and the WAIS-R Digit Span, were employed for estimating cognitive function, and the TMIG Index of Competence for measuring higher-level competence. In the Index, three constructions: "Instrumental Self-Maintenance", "Intellectual Activity", and "Social Role" were involved. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Age-related differences in the cognitive tests were analyzed using ANCOVA controlling for educational year. Age-related differences between younger elderly (70-79 years old) and older elderly (80-84 years old) were observed with the WAIS-R Digit Symbol, Word Fluency Test and the WAIS-R Digit Span. The results indicate that information processing speed, executive function and primary memory in community-dwelling elderly continue to decline in old age, and this trend is salient in the old-old. We carried out partial correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis for exploring the relationships between cognitive function and the sub-scales in the TMIG Index of Competence, controlling for age and educational year. Cognitive function was significantly and positively related with the sub-scales in the Index, this being especially robust for "Intellectual Activity". The results suggest that higher-level competence can be modestly determined with reference to cognitive function, and "Intellectual Activity" may have a stronger relation with cognitive function than the other two sub-scales in the Index.

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Activities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overCognitionFemaleHumansMaleMental CompetencyTokyoEnglish AbstractJournal Article

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Hajime Iwasa, Takao Suzuki, Hideyo Yoshida, Hunkyung Kim, Masaya Shimmei, Yuko Yoshida, Taketo Furuna, Miho Sugiura, Satoshi Nishizawa, Hu Xiuying, Shoji Shinkai, Shu Kumagai, Yoshinori Fujiwara, Shuichiro Watanabe, Harumi Yukawa. 2003. [Cognitive function as the factor determining higher-level competence in community-dwelling elderly: comprehensive health examination for the community elderly for the prevention of the geriatric syndrome and a bed-ridden state ("otasha-kenshin")].. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14639956/

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