title: The influences of cognitive resources on adaptation and old age.
abstract: In the Georgia Centenarian Study, cognitive resources were estimated by fluid and crystallized intelligence, acquisition and retrieval of new information, retrieval of familiar information, and problem-solving ability in community-dwelling and nondemented adults ranging from sixty to one hundred plus years of age. Five clusters of results were found: 1) cognitive performances were lower for the older cohorts; 2) when cognitive activities were dependent on everyday experiences, no age-related problem-solving decline was found; 3) physical health and mental health can significantly influence cognitive performances; 4) cognitive and personality factors can combine to account for a larger amount of adaptation variance than can be accounted for by either of the factors alone; and 5) individuals with a high level of intelligence and affect sustain their instrumental activities of daily living. Cognitive resources were an important contributor to successful adaptation for the oldest-old.
authors.affiliation: University of Georgia, Athens.
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Clayton
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Messner
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005845:Georgia; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008568:Memory; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009013:Morale; D011340:Problem Solving