Mood and cognition in healthy older European adults: the Zenith study

Abstract

BackgroundThe study aim was to determine if state and trait intra-individual measures of everyday affect predict cognitive functioning in healthy older community dwelling European adults (n = 387), aged 55-87 years.MethodsParticipants were recruited from centres in France, Italy and Northern Ireland. Trait level and variability in positive and negative affect (PA and NA) were assessed using self-administered PANAS scales, four times a day for four days. State mood was assessed by one PANAS scale prior to assessment of recognition memory, spatial working memory, reaction time and sustained attention using the CANTAB computerized test battery.ResultsA series of hierarchical regression analyses were carried out, one for each measure of cognitive function as the dependent variable, and socio-demographic variables (age, sex and social class), state and trait mood measures as the predictors. State PA and NA were both predictive of spatial working memory prior to looking at the contribution of trait mood. Trait PA and its variability were predictive of sustained attention. In the final step of the regression analyses, trait PA variability predicted greater sustained attention, whereas state NA predicted fewer spatial working memory errors, accounting for a very small percentage of the variance (1-2%) in the respective tests.ConclusionMoods, by and large, have a small transient effect on cognition in this older sample.

Mobile phones: The effect of its presence on learning and memory

“…working memory [13], visual spatial search [12], attention [11]), and decreased cognitive ability with increasing attachment to one's phone [14,16,26]. Further, past studies have demonstrated the effect of affective state on cognitive performance [19,20,[22][23][24][25]27]. To…”

“…The researchers attributed positive affect in participants' improved controlled cognitive processing and less inhibitory control. On the other hand, participants' negative affect had fewer spatial working memory errors [23] and higher cognitive failures [25]. Yet, in all of these studies-the direction of modulation, intensity, valence of experiencing a specific affective state ranged widely and primarily driven by external stimuli (i.e.…”

“…Further, emotion-cognition interaction affects efficiency of specific cognitive functions, and that one's affective state may enhance or hinder these functions rapidly, flexibly, and reversibly [21]. Studies have shown that positive affect improves visuospatial attention [22], sustained attention [23], and working memory [24]. The researchers attributed positive affect in participants' improved controlled cognitive processing and less inhibitory control.…”

Positive affect and cognitive decline: a 12‐year follow‐up of the Maastricht Aging Study

“…They used the same data set as the current study, but different outcome measurements and only looked at the outcome at baseline. Another study with older adults showed that PA predicted greater sustained attention, but did not find effects of PA on recognition memory, spatial working memory, and reaction time (Simpson et al, ).…”

“…One cross‐sectional study showed that higher PA was associated with better free memory recall in the older (65 to 82 years) age group (Hill et al, ). Another study showed that PA predicted greater sustained attention in older adults (Simpson et al, ). In both studies, the contribution of PA to the proportion of variance explained was small (1–3%).…”