Abstract

GONZALEZ, Mª Feli; FACAL, David  and  YAGUAS, Javier. Cognitive functioning in elderly people and the influence of the socio-educative variables: results from the ELES Study. Escritos de Psicología [online]. 2013, vol.6, n.3, pp.34-42. ISSN 1989-3809.  https://dx.doi.org/10.5231/psy.writ.2013.1611.

Cognitive functioning changes in elderly people. The degree of decline varies across different cognitive abilities and other variables, such as educational level and life-time professional activity, can slow down this process. This study investigates the pattern of cognitive performance in people over 50 years old, taking into account the influence of educational level and profession. Research data were collected during the pilot study of the Longitudinal Aging Study in Spain (ELES) in which a representative sample of non-institutionalized Spanish older people was assessed. The following cognitive variables were evaluated: general cognitive functioning, verbal memory, working memory span, visuomotor speed, and language. Differences were found in all cognitive variables in the different age groups, and according to educational level and profession. These differences remained after controlling for the age variable. Population studies provide a global perspective of cognitive performance in older people and help to identify the role of the different associated factors.

Keywords : Cognitive Performance; ELES Study; Educational Level; Profession.

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