Cognitive changes in very old persons with dementia: The influence of demographic, psychometric, and biological variables

摘要: Abstract Longitudinal changes in global cognitive functioning, indexed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), subjects with dementia (Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia) were examined. The roles of several demographic, psychometric, biological indices predicting deterioration also sample consisted 36 very old (M age at entry =83.0 years, range =75–95) adults from a community-based study. Subjects tested on two occasions separated approximately 2.5 years. Results indicated significant longitudinal decline MMSE scores over retest interval; average was estimated as 2.43 (SD =1.81) points per year. Several factors associated deterioration. Higher initial greater deterioration, whereas superior forward digit span Block Design attenuated decline, once differences baseline severity accounted for. By contrast, variety ot...