title: Cognitive performance in childhood and early adult illness: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether cognitive performance in childhood is an early determinant of adult illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study covering over 30 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  633 people ages 30-39 followed up since birth as part of the Providence cohort of the national collaborative perinatal project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher cognitive performance at age 7 was related to a significantly reduced risk of serious illness in adulthood, OR = 0.65 (95%CI: 0.47 to 0.89) for a one standard deviation (15 point) increase in IQ score. This association was independent of both parental socioeconomic status and participant's attained level of education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General cognitive performance may be an important and informative early determinant of adult health. Further evaluation of this association and mechanisms linking cognitive performance and health may provide new and innovative strategies to improve disease management and reduce morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA. lthayer@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Laurie T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Garrett M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Fitzmaurice
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kindlon
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Buka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index