Challenging the notion of an early-onset of cognitive decline

Nilsson, Lars-Göran; Sternäng, Ola; Rönnlund, Michael; Nyberg, Lars

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2008.11.013

« Previous Next »Neurobiology of Aging
Volume 30, Issue 4 , Pages 521-524, April 2009

Challenging the notion of an early-onset of cognitive decline

Lars-Göran Nilsson
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden
- Stockholm Brain Institute, Umeå University, Sweden
- Nordic Center of Excellence, Umeå University, Sweden
- Aging and Living Conditions, Umeå University, Sweden
- Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 163940; fax: +46 8 159342.
Ola Sternäng
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden
- Stockholm Brain Institute, Umeå University, Sweden
Michael Rönnlund
- Department of Psychology, Umeå University, Sweden
- Center for Population Studies, Umeå University, Sweden
Lars Nyberg
- Department of Radiation Sciences (Diagnostic Radiology) and Integrative Medical Biology (Physiology Section), Umeå University, Sweden
- Stockholm Brain Institute, Umeå University, Sweden
- Nordic Center of Excellence, Umeå University, Sweden
- Aging and Living Conditions, Umeå University, Sweden

Received 20 October 2008; accepted 6 November 2008.

Abstract

Salthouse claims that cognitive aging starts around 20 years of age. The basis for this claim is cross-sectional data. He dismisses longitudinal data, which typically show the cognitive decline to start much later, around 60 years of age. He states that longitudinal data cannot be trusted because they are flawed. There is a confounding between the effects of maturation and retest effects. We challenge Salthouse's strong claim on four accounts.

Keywords: Cognition, Cross-sectional design, Longitudinal design, Neurobiology