title: [Genetic aspects of cognitive abilities across the life span].
abstract: Cognitive abilities develop during the first 2 decades and start to decrease in the 6th decade of life. There is strong heritability of general cognitive ability as well as of specific cognitive functions which might increase with age till about age 80. Cognitive disorders derive from this physiological cognitive development; they are also under genetic control. This paper discusses age-specific genetic influences on cognitive functions in interplay with environmental factors and compares these determinants across the life span.
authors.affiliation: Ehem. Direktor der Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main, 60311 Frankfurt am Main. poustka@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poustka
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maier
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008957:Models, Genetic