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Cognitive function trajectories and their determinants in older people: 8 years of follow-up in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Zaninotto P, Batty GD, Allerhand M, Deary IJ.. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 2018-04-24
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Maintaining cognitive function is an important aspect of healthy ageing. In this study, we examined age trajectories of cognitive decline in a large nationally representative sample of older people in England. We explored the factors that influence such decline and whether these differed by gender. Methods Latent growth curve modelling was used to explore age-specific changes, and influences on them, in an 8-year period in memory, executive function, processing speed and global cognitive function among 10 626 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. We run gender-specific models with the following exposures: age, education, wealth, childhood socioeconomic status, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, physical function, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol, smoking, depression and dementia. Results After adjustment, women had significantly less decline than men in memory (0.011, SE 0.006), executive function (0.012, SE 0.006) and global cognitive function (0.016, SE 0.004). Increasing age and dementia predicted faster rates of decline in all cognitive function domains. Depression and alcohol consumption predicted decline in some cognitive function domains in men only. Poor physical function, physical inactivity and smoking were associated with faster rates of decline in specific cognitive domains in both men and women. For example, relative to study members who were physically active, the sedentary experienced greater declines in memory (women -0.018, SE 0.009) and global cognitive function (men -0.015, SE 0.007 and women -0.016, SE 0.007). Conclusions The potential determinants of cognitive decline identified in this study, in particular modifiable risk factors, should be tested in the context of randomised controlled trials.
Key findings
- Results After adjustment, women had significantly less decline than men in memory (0.011, SE 0.006), executive function (0.012, SE 0.006) and global cognitive function (0.016, SE 0.004).
- Poor physical function, physical inactivity and smoking were associated with faster rates of decline in specific cognitive domains in both men and women.
Why it matters
In over 10,000 older people followed for 8 years, women showed less cognitive decline than men, and poor physical function, physical inactivity and smoking were linked to faster decline in some cognitive domains. The study describes factors associated with cognitive decline but does not test any treatment or cure for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants626
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 69/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of epidemiology and community health) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health: journal h-index 263 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 626 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 316 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 31.6 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 114 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Ian J. Deary: h-index 200 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29691286) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 69 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1136/jech-2017-210116
- PubMed: 29691286
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zaninotto, P., Batty, G. D., Allerhand, M., & Deary, I. J. (2018). Cognitive function trajectories and their determinants in older people: 8 years of follow-up in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Journal of epidemiology and community health. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2017-210116
Vancouver
Zaninotto P, Batty GD, Allerhand M, Deary IJ. Cognitive function trajectories and their determinants in older people: 8 years of follow-up in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Journal of epidemiology and community health. 2018. doi:10.1136/jech-2017-210116. PMID: 29691286.
BibTeX
@article{zaninotto2018-29691286,
author = {Zaninotto, P. and Batty, G. D. and Allerhand, M. and Deary, I. J.},
title = {{Cognitive function trajectories and their determinants in older people: 8 years of follow-up in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing}},
journal = {Journal of epidemiology and community health},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1136/jech-2017-210116},
pmid = {29691286},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2017-210116}
}
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