Big Questions in Cognitive Aging: An Integrative Analysis Approach

描述（由申请人提供）：与年龄相关的认知衰退的时间和程度，是认知衰老研究中一些最古老的问题，仍然是重要的开放问题。虽然进行了许多研究，但我们往往无法比较结果，因为它们使用不同的认知测试，不能直接比较。本提案的目标是对认知衰老进行综合数据分析，这意味着将从多个研究中收集的数据汇总在一起，通过协调一般认知功能、记忆和执行功能的特征进行比较。我们将使用几项大型流行病学研究和纵向数据，进行不同的神经心理学测试。认知表现将在整个研究中扩展到具有全国代表性的老年人样本。为了完成这项任务，我们从10项老年人流行病学和临床研究中获得了神经心理学表现数据，这些数据来自39,832名年龄在55岁至110岁之间的成年人，这些成年人已经随访了20年。这些研究包括有代表性的、自愿的和特别挑选的样本。我们在本提案中的目标是解决与年龄相关的认知衰退的时间和程度，并为继续开发复合材料和最终制备R01以解决认知衰老的其他主要问题获得支持。在我们能够解决这些实质性的研究问题之前，需要进行大量的工作来评估协调复合材料的偏置和测量特性。我们的研究团队拥有完成这项工作所必需的经验和独特的能力。我们已经公布了我们方法的基本原理。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The timing and magnitude of age-related cognitive decline, some of the oldest questions in cognitive aging research, remain open questions of major importance. Although many studies have been conducted, we often cannot compare results because they use different cognitive tests and are not directly comparable. The goal of this proposal is to conduct an integrative data analysis of cognitive aging, meaning drawing together data collected in multiple studies, made comparable by harmonizing traits for general cognitive function, memory, and executive function. We will use several large epidemiologic studies with longitudinal data that administered different neuropsychological test batteries. Cognitive performance will be scaled across study to a nationally representative sample of older adults. To approach this task, we have neuropsychological performance data from 10 epidemiologic and clinical studies of older adults, for a combined sample size of 39,832 adults between the ages of 55 and 110 who have been followed up to 20 years. The studies are a mix of representative, volunteer, and specially selected samples. Our goals in this proposal are to address the timing and magnitude of age-related cognitive decline, and to obtain support for continued development of the composites and eventual preparation of an R01 to address other major questions in cognitive aging. Before we can address such substantive research questions, substantial work is needed to evaluate bias and measurement properties of the harmonized composites. Our study team possesses necessary experience and unique capabilities to complete this work. We have already published the basics of our approach.