Between-individual variability and interpretation of associations between neurophysiological and behavioral measures in aging populations

Comment on Salthouse (2011)

Bibliographic Data

ID14445277
AuthorsPatrick Rabbitt (The University of Western Australia, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume137
Issue5
Pages785-789
Publication date2011-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychological Bulletin (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-2909 • E-ISSN: 1939-1455
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/a0024580
PMID21859178
OpenAlexW2044376473
LanguageEN
Citations received3

Salthouse (2011) argued that (a) variance between individuals on cognitive test scores remains constant between 20 and 90 years of age and (b) widely recognized problems of deducing functional relationships from patterns of correlations between measurements become especially severe for neuropsychological indices, especially for gross indices of age-related brain changes (e.g., losses of brain volume or increases in white matter lesions). I argue that between-individual variability on cognitive tests does increase with age and provides useful information on causes of age-related cognitive decline. I suggest that problems of inference from correlations are just as difficult for behavioral as for neurophysiological indices and that inclusion, in analyses, of even gross measures of brain status such as loss of volume and white matter lesions can correct misinterpretations that occur when only behavioral data are examined

Brain size · Cognition · Cognitive decline · Cognitive psychology · Dementia · Developmental psychology · Inference · Neurophysiology · Neuropsychology · Pathology · White matter · Artificial Intelligence · Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research · Functional Brain Connectivity Studies · Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging · Medicine · Neuroscience · Psychology

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