title: Effects of death within 11 years on cognitive performance in old age.
abstract: Six different cognitive tests and the Heck Depression Inventory (BDI) were given to 3,572 active community residents aged 49 to 93 years. Causes of death were ascertained for 443 who died between 36 and 3,903 days later. Subsequent survival predicted test scores during the 3,903 days and independently during Days 36 to 1,826 and Days 1,827 to 3,903. Scores on the BDI and cumulative verbal learning and vocabulary tests predicted mortality after demographics and performance on other cognitive tests had been considered. Predictors were similar for deaths from heart disease, malignancies, and other causes. A new finding that cognitive tests did not predict survival duration within the sample of deceased explains previous findings of greater terminal decline in performance for young than for elderly adults.
authors.affiliation: Age and Cognitive Performance Research Centre, University of Manchester, England. rabbitt@psy.man.ac.uk
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rabbitt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donlan
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mc Innes
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horan
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pendleton
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clague
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors