title: Sex differences in cognition are stable over a 10-year period in adulthood and old age.
abstract: Sex differences in declarative memory and visuospatial ability are robust in cross-sectional studies. The present longitudinal study examined whether sex differences in cognition were present over a 10-year period, and whether age modified the magnitude of sex differences. Tests assessing episodic and semantic memory, and visuospatial ability were administered to 625 nondemented adults (initially aged 35-80 years), participating in the population-based Betula study at two follow-up occasions. There was stability of sex differences across five age groups and over a 10-year period. Women performed at a higher level than men on episodic recall, face and verbal recognition, and semantic fluency, whereas men performed better than women on a task-assessing, visuospatial ability. Sex differences in cognitive functions are stable over a 10-year period and from 35 to 90 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cindy M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de Frias
authors.forename: Lars-Göran
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herlitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*