Relationship between education and age-related cognitive decline: a review of recent research.

The association between level of educational attainment and cognitive performance is well studied. People with higher education perform better across a broad range of cognitive tasks. However, there is uncertainty as to whether education moderates the trajectory of age-related cognitive decline.

Exploring the validity of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subtypes: multiple-domain amnestic MCI is the only identifiable subtype at longitudinal follow-up.

Background: Epidemiological research exploring risk factors for Alzheimer's dementia resulted in the identification of the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) profile. Subsequently, distinct subtypes of MCI have been proposed; however, the validity of these as diagnostic entities remains uncertain.

Design And Participants: The aim of the present study was to examine the longitudinal neuropsychological profiles of MCI subtypes.

BDNF and COMT polymorphisms have a limited association with episodic memory performance or engagement in complex cognitive activity in healthy older adults.

Cognitive decline is a major factor in lowering the quality of life in older populations, and contributes substantially to social, economic, and health costs. As humans age, cognitive function decreases differentially, and individual differences in cognitive ageing are likely attributed to a range of causes, including environmental and genetic influences. The current study included 360 participants (240 females and 120 males) aged between 50 and 79years from the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project.

The self-fulfilling prophecy of episodic memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment: do episodic memory deficits identified at classification remain evident when later examined with different memory tests?

Previous studies of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have been criticised for using the same battery of neuropsychological tests during classification and longitudinal followup. The key concern is that there is a potential circularity when the same tests are used to identify MCI and then subsequently monitor change in function over time. The aim of the present study was to examine the evidence of this potential circularity problem.

Absence of a relationship between subjective memory complaint and objective memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment (MCI): is it time to abandon subjective memory complaint as an MCI diagnostic criterion?

Background: Subjective memory complaints are a requirement in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as they are thought to indicate a decline in objective memory performance. However, recent research suggests that the relationship between subjective memory complaint and objective memory impairment is less clear. Thus, it is possible that many people without subjective memory complaints who develop Alzheimer's disease are precluded from a diagnosis of MCI.