Cognitive dedifferentiation in later life: longitudinal findings from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

In the cognitive aging literature, the dedifferentiation hypothesis refers to cognitive skills becoming more interrelated in older adulthood. Here, we report evidence for cognitive dedifferentiation in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC1936).

Methods

The LBC1936 is a narrow-age cohort assessed at 5 waves between ages 70 and 82. We analyzed data from 418 participants (49% male) who provided cognitive data at all 5 waves.

Results

In single-order structural equation models, the percentage of variance that general cognitive functioning (g) accounted for across 13 cognitive tests increases by wave; w1 to w5: 25%, 27%, 29%, 31%, 36%, and the group-level rate of dedifferentiation closely tracked the group-level rate of cognitive decline (r  =  -.991, p = .001). A

SUBMITTER: Moodie JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12779353 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature