Reverse Causation in Activity-Cognitive Ability Associations: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Alan J. Gow; Janie Corley; John M. Starr; Ian J. Deary

doi:10.1037/a0024144

Reverse Causation in Activity-Cognitive Ability Associations: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Alan J. Gow^*, Janie Corley, John M. Starr, Ian J. Deary

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

68 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Active lifestyles might protect cognitive abilities; however, studies
rarely consider the reverse causal direction. Activity-cognition
associations might reflect stable intelligence differences rather than a
protective effect of activity. The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n = 1091)
completed cognitive tests aged 70, having taken an intelligence test
aged 11. Activity (assessed by participation in 15 activities that
produced a socio-intellectual activity factor, and by physical activity)
was positively associated with cognition (r = .08 to .32, p = .05).
When age-11 IQ and adult social class were controlled, only physical
activity remained significantly associated with general cognitive
ability and processing speed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA,
all rights reserved)

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	250-255
Number of pages	6
Journal	Psychology and Aging
Volume	27
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024144
Publication status	Published - Mar 2012

Keywords

OLD-AGE
DEMENTIA
prior cognitive ability
SPEED
DECLINE
activity participation
PREDICTORS
PARTICIPATION
cognitive ability
reverse causation
EXERCISE
PROTECT
PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY
LIFE-STYLE
physical activity

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10.1037/a0024144

Cite this

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title = "Reverse Causation in Activity-Cognitive Ability Associations: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936",

abstract = "Active lifestyles might protect cognitive abilities; however, studies rarely consider the reverse causal direction. Activity-cognition associations might reflect stable intelligence differences rather than a protective effect of activity. The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n = 1091) completed cognitive tests aged 70, having taken an intelligence test aged 11. Activity (assessed by participation in 15 activities that produced a socio-intellectual activity factor, and by physical activity) was positively associated with cognition (r = .08 to .32, p = .05). When age-11 IQ and adult social class were controlled, only physical activity remained significantly associated with general cognitive ability and processing speed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved) ",

keywords = "OLD-AGE, DEMENTIA, prior cognitive ability, SPEED, DECLINE, activity participation, PREDICTORS, PARTICIPATION, cognitive ability, reverse causation, EXERCISE, PROTECT, PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, LIFE-STYLE, physical activity",

author = "Gow, {Alan J.} and Janie Corley and Starr, {John M.} and Deary, {Ian J.}",

year = "2012",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1037/a0024144",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

pages = "250--255",

journal = "Psychology and Aging",

issn = "0882-7974",

publisher = "American Psychological Association",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Reverse Causation in Activity-Cognitive Ability Associations: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

AU - Gow, Alan J.

AU - Corley, Janie

AU - Starr, John M.

AU - Deary, Ian J.

PY - 2012/3

Y1 - 2012/3

N2 - Active lifestyles might protect cognitive abilities; however, studies rarely consider the reverse causal direction. Activity-cognition associations might reflect stable intelligence differences rather than a protective effect of activity. The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n = 1091) completed cognitive tests aged 70, having taken an intelligence test aged 11. Activity (assessed by participation in 15 activities that produced a socio-intellectual activity factor, and by physical activity) was positively associated with cognition (r = .08 to .32, p = .05). When age-11 IQ and adult social class were controlled, only physical activity remained significantly associated with general cognitive ability and processing speed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

AB - Active lifestyles might protect cognitive abilities; however, studies rarely consider the reverse causal direction. Activity-cognition associations might reflect stable intelligence differences rather than a protective effect of activity. The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n = 1091) completed cognitive tests aged 70, having taken an intelligence test aged 11. Activity (assessed by participation in 15 activities that produced a socio-intellectual activity factor, and by physical activity) was positively associated with cognition (r = .08 to .32, p = .05). When age-11 IQ and adult social class were controlled, only physical activity remained significantly associated with general cognitive ability and processing speed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

KW - OLD-AGE

KW - DEMENTIA

KW - prior cognitive ability

KW - SPEED

KW - DECLINE

KW - activity participation

KW - PREDICTORS

KW - PARTICIPATION

KW - cognitive ability

KW - reverse causation

KW - EXERCISE

KW - PROTECT

KW - PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY

KW - LIFE-STYLE

KW - physical activity

U2 - 10.1037/a0024144

DO - 10.1037/a0024144

M3 - Article

C2 - 21644808

SN - 0882-7974

VL - 27

SP - 250

EP - 255

JO - Psychology and Aging

JF - Psychology and Aging

IS - 1

ER -

Reverse Causation in Activity-Cognitive Ability Associations: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Abstract

Keywords

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