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Patterns of cognitive function in aging: the Rotterdam Study
Hoogendam YY, Hofman A, van der Geest JN, van der Lugt A, Ikram MA.. European journal of epidemiology, 2014-02-20
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Cognitive impairment is an important hallmark of dementia, but deterioration of cognition also occurs frequently in non-demented elderly individuals. In more than 3,000 non-demented persons, aged 45-99 years, from the population-based Rotterdam Study we studied cross-sectional age effects on cognitive function across various domains. All participants underwent an extensive cognitive test battery that tapped into processing speed, executive function, verbal fluency, verbal recall and recognition, visuospatial ability and fine motor skills.
Key findings
- In more than 3,000 non-demented persons, aged 45-99 years, from the population-based Rotterdam Study we studied cross-sectional age effects on cognitive function across various domains.
- All participants underwent an extensive cognitive test battery that tapped into processing speed, executive function, verbal fluency, verbal recall and recognition, visuospatial ability and fine motor skills.
- General cognitive function was assessed by the g-factor, which was derived from principal component analysis and captured 49.2 % of all variance in cognition.
- We found strongest associations for age with g-factor [difference in z-score -0.59 per 10 years; 95 % confidence interval (CI) -0.62 to -0.56], fine motor skill (-0.53 per 10 years; 95 % CI -0.56 to -0.50), processing speed (-0.49 per 10 years; 95 % CI -0.51 to -0.46), and visuospatial ability (-0.48 per 10 years; 95 % CI -0.51 to -0.45).
Why it matters
This cross-sectional study described how cognitive function across various domains changes with age in non-demented older people. It is about patterns of normal aging cognition, not about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (European journal of epidemiology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | European Journal of Epidemiology: journal h-index 175 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 196 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 14.0 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 21 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 49 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author M. Arfan Ikram: h-index 167 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Erasmus MC: institution h-index 1,321 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24553905) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
Hoogendam, Y. Y., Hofman, A., van der Geest, J. N., van der Lugt, A., & Ikram, M. A. (2014). Patterns of cognitive function in aging: the Rotterdam Study. European journal of epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-014-9885-4
Vancouver
Hoogendam YY, Hofman A, van der Geest JN, van der Lugt A, Ikram MA. Patterns of cognitive function in aging: the Rotterdam Study. European journal of epidemiology. 2014. doi:10.1007/s10654-014-9885-4. PMID: 24553905.
BibTeX
@article{hoogendam2014-24553905,
author = {Hoogendam, Y. Y. and Hofman, A. and van der Geest, J. N. and van der Lugt, A. and Ikram, M. A.},
title = {{Patterns of cognitive function in aging: the Rotterdam Study}},
journal = {European journal of epidemiology},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1007/s10654-014-9885-4},
pmid = {24553905},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-014-9885-4}
}
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