title: Mood and cognition in healthy older European adults: the Zenith study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study aim was to determine if state and trait intra-individual measures of everyday affect predict cognitive functioning in healthy older community dwelling European adults (n = 387), aged 55-87 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from centres in France, Italy and Northern Ireland. Trait level and variability in positive and negative affect (PA and NA) were assessed using self-administered PANAS scales, four times a day for four days. State mood was assessed by one PANAS scale prior to assessment of recognition memory, spatial working memory, reaction time and sustained attention using the CANTAB computerized test battery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A series of hierarchical regression analyses were carried out, one for each measure of cognitive function as the dependent variable, and socio-demographic variables (age, sex and social class), state and trait mood measures as the predictors. State PA and NA were both predictive of spatial working memory prior to looking at the contribution of trait mood. Trait PA and its variability were predictive of sustained attention. In the final step of the regression analyses, trait PA variability predicted greater sustained attention, whereas state NA predicted fewer spatial working memory errors, accounting for a very small percentage of the variance (1-2%) in the respective tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moods, by and large, have a small transient effect on cognition in this older sample.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Research Institute, University of Ulster, Londonderry, UK ; School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, BT521SA Coleraine, County Londonderry Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Ellen Ea
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Maylor
authors.affiliation: Psychology Research Institute, University of Ulster, Londonderry, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McConville
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, University of Bradford, Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stewart-Knox
authors.affiliation: CHU Clermont Ferrand, Unité d'Exploration en Nutrition, CRNH Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.affiliation: Université Joseph Fourier, Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France.
authors.forename: Maud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andriollo-Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Research Council-Research Centre on Food and Nutrition (CRA-NUT), Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polito
authors.affiliation: Université Joseph Fourier, Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Intorre
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland UK.
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: UMR 866 (Dynamique Musculaire & Métabolisme) INRA, Place Viala, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coudray
keywords: Affect; CANTAB; Cognition; Mood; Older adults; PANAS