title: Age-Related Differences and Heterogeneity in Executive Functions: Analysis of NAB Executive Functions Module Scores.
abstract: Normative data from the German adaptation of the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery were used to examine age-related differences in 6 executive function tasks. A multivariate analysis of variance was employed to investigate the differences in performance in 484 participants aged 18-99 years. The coefficient of variation was calculated to compare the heterogeneity of scores between 10 age groups. Analyses showed an increase in the dispersion of scores with age, varying from 7% to 289%, in all subtests. Furthermore, age-dependent heterogeneity appeared to be associated with age-dependent decline because the subtests with the greatest increase in dispersion (i.e., Mazes, Planning, and Categories) also exhibited the greatest decrease in mean scores. In contrast, scores for the subtests Letter Fluency, Word Generation, and Judgment had the lowest increase in dispersion with the lowest decrease in mean scores. Consequently, the results presented here show a pattern of age-related differences in executive functioning that is consistent with the concept of crystallized and fluid intelligence.
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany buczylowska@uni-bremen.de.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buczylowska
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petermann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive aging; Crystallized intelligence; Executive functions; Fluid intelligence; NAB