Challenging the notion of an early-onset of cognitive decline.
Salthouse claims that cognitive aging starts around 20 years of age. The basis for this claim is cross-sectional data. He dismisses longitudinal data, which typically show the cognitive decline to start much later, around 60 years of age. He states that longitudinal data cannot be trusted because they are flawed. There is a confounding between the effects of maturation and retest effects. We challenge Salthouse's strong claim on four accounts.
Nilsson
Lars-Göran
LG
Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden. lgn@psychology.su.se
Sternäng
Ola
O
Rönnlund
Michael
M
Nyberg
Lars
L
D017668:Age of Onset; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D009446:Neurobiology / Q000379:methods; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D009484:Neuropsychology / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results