Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorSkogen, Jens Christoffer
dc.contributor.authorØverland, Simon Nygaard
dc.contributor.authorSmith, A. D.
dc.contributor.authorMykletun, Arnstein
dc.contributor.authorStewart, Robert
dc.date.accessioned2013-11-08T09:08:15Z
dc.date.available2013-11-08T09:08:15Z
dc.date.issued2013-09-16eng
dc.PublishedBMC Psychology 1(1):16eng
dc.identifier.issn2050-7283
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1956/7517
dc.description.abstractBackground Previous studies have shown that adverse conditions during fetal and early life are associated with lower performance on neurocognitive tests in childhood, adolescence and adult life. There is, however, a paucity in studies investigating these associations into old age. The aim was to investigate the impact of early life factors on cognitive function in old age by taking advantage of the potential for a linkage between a community survey and historical birth records. Methods A historical cohort study employing a linkage between a community survey of people aged 72–74 years with the participants’ birth records (n=346). Early life factors included anthropometric measures taken at birth, birth complications, parental socioeconomic status, and maternal health status. The main outcome was a z-scored composite cognitive score, based on test scores from Kendrick Object Learning Test, Trail Making Test A, a modified version of the Digit Symbol Test, Block Design, a modified version of Mini-Mental State Examination and an abridged version of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). The separate cognitive tests were also individually analysed in relation to measures identified at birth. Results Higher parental socioeconomic status (SES; based on father’s occupation) was associated with a higher value on the composite cognitive score (by 0.25 SD, p=0.0146) and higher Digit Symbol and Trail Making Test A performance. Higher head circumference at birth was associated with higher COWAT and Trail Making Test A performance. Both higher parental SES and head circumference at birth predicted cognitive function in old age independently of each other. There were no other consistent associations. Conclusions In general we found little evidence for a substantial role of early life factors on late-life cognitive function. However, there was some evidence for an association with parental SES status and head circumference on certain cognitive domains.en_US
dc.language.isoengeng
dc.publisherBioMed Centraleng
dc.rightsAttribution CC BYeng
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0eng
dc.subjectEarly life factorseng
dc.subjectOld ageeng
dc.subjectCognitive functioneng
dc.subjectRisk factorseng
dc.titleThe impact of early life factors on cognitive function in old age: The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK)eng
dc.typePeer reviewed
dc.typeJournal article
dc.date.updated2013-10-02T04:20:18Z
dc.description.versionpublishedVersion
dc.description.versionPeer Reviewed
dc.rights.holderCopyright 2013 Skogen et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
dc.rights.holderJens Skogen et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.eng
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1186/2050-7283-1-16


Files in this item

Thumbnail
Thumbnail

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record

Attribution CC BY
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Attribution CC BY