Abstract
The aim of the presented study is to evaluate the influence of age on the performance in cognitive tests. We assessed 540 cognitively healthy persons (age 60-96 years) with the neuropsychological battery used in the National Normative Study of Cognitive Determinants of Healthy Aging - NANOK (Štěpánková et al., Psychiatrie, 17(Supl. 2), 53-54, 2013).
Associations between age and tests performance were measured by Spearman's Rho. All tests were significantly influenced by age (Bonferroni corr. p<0.00238).
The highest correlation were in the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (rho = -0.483), subtest Colors from Prague Stroop Test (rho = 0.472) and Trail Making Test - part A (rho = 0.457). The lowest correlations were detected in phonemic verbal fluency - letter P (rho = -0.182), immediate story recall (rho = -0.171) and Boston naming test (rho = -0,136).
The psychomotor tests are most age-sensitive. This should be reflected in norms providing more age bands for psychomotor tasks than for other cognitive tests.