The dynamics of cognitive functions in aging and their connection with the level of education

Authors:

Titarenko A.V., Shishkin S.V., Shcherbakova L.V., Verevkin E.G., Holmes M., Bobak M., Malyutina S.K.

Changes in the cognitive sphere during aging in the Russian population are not understood enough.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the dynamics of indicators of cognitive functions (KF) in two serial dimensions over 9 years in the city population of medium, elderly and senile age and their relationship with the level of education.

Patients and methods. The random population sample of men and women is 45–69 years old, residents of Novosibirsk (n = 9360; the Hapiee project) was examined. CF testing is performed by standard methods. A repeated examination was carried out in a random subsidiary (n = 1663) included in this analysis. The average observation period was 8.8 years (SD = 1.1).

Results and discussion. In the test on semantic fluency of speech, a dynamic decrease was revealed in all age groups, more pronounced in women than in men (p <0.001). Persons 70 years and older have a negative dynamics of memory indicators, semantic speech activity and concentration of attention (p <0.001). In persons with primary (8th and less classes of high school; 6%) and professional (26%) levels of education, a high speed of reducing indicators in the test of delayed reproduction (p = 0.011; 0.038) was revealed than in persons with higher education (35%). Conclusion. It was established that the dynamic reduction of the KF begins at the age of 55–59 years, it is more pronounced in a group of people 70 years and older. The age regression of the memory function was accelerated by participants with a low level of education.

Keywords: cognitive functions; age dynamics; cognitive decrease; The level of education.