Episodic Memory Changes in Middle-Aged Adults Across Countries
Author Information
Author(s): Wettstein Markus, Infurna Frank, Dey Nutifafa, Cruz-Carrillo Yesenia, Grimm Kevin, Lachman Margie, Gerstorf Denis
Primary Institution: Humboldt University Berlin
Hypothesis
Do historical improvements in cognitive abilities generalize to middle-aged adults and differ across nations?
Conclusion
Today's middle-aged adults in the U.S. perform worse on episodic memory tests than their peers in the past, while those in most other countries perform better.
Supporting Evidence
- The study included 89,775 participants providing 272,876 observations over up to 20 years.
- Longitudinal multilevel regression models were used to analyze the data.
- Women and individuals with higher education levels exhibited better episodic memory performance.
- The association of grip strength with episodic memory was stronger in later-born cohorts.
Takeaway
This study looked at how memory skills of middle-aged people have changed over time in different countries. It found that people in the U.S. are not doing as well as before, but people in other countries are doing better.
Methodology
The study used harmonized data from nationally representative longitudinal panel surveys to compare episodic memory trajectories.
Limitations
The study may not account for all socio-demographic and health factors influencing memory performance.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 45 to 65 years from the U.S., Europe, Mexico, and China.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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