J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry.  2018 Oct;22(2):55-63. 10.0000/jkgp.2018.22.2.55.

Subjective Age and Cognitive Functioning in Old Age

• Suk J
• Lee S
• Kim H

• KMID: 2435022
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jkgp.2018.22.2.55

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The present study has examined whether subjective age would be associated with cognitive functioning in older adults.
METHODS
Data from the third wave of Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project were used. This study was conducted with 152 older adults aged 60-89 years (mean=72.26, standard deviation=6.41) who completed measures of subjective age, Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening, Elderly Verbal Learning Test, Digit Span Test, Korean-Color Word Stroop Test, Trail Making Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Korean Boston Naming Test-Short form. The association of subjective age and cognitive functioning was analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis. Sex, depression, and chronological age were included as control variables.
RESULTS
Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that a younger subjective age was associated with better processing speed, immediate memory, and executive function respectively. Even after controlling for chronological age, depression, and sex, the subjective age was associated with cognitive functioning in old age.
CONCLUSION
Beyond chronological age, the subjective experience of age was associated with cognitive aging.

Keyword

Subjective age; Processing speed; Immediate memory; Executive function; Cognitive function

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aging
Cognition
Cognitive Aging
Dementia
Depression
Executive Function
Humans
Mass Screening
Memory, Short-Term
Stroop Test
Trail Making Test
Verbal Learning