Cognitive function is associated with risk aversion in community-based older persons

BMC Geriatrics

Research Article

David I Laibson¹  Patricia A Boyle²  David A Bennett³  Aron S Buchman³  Lei Yu³ 

[1] Harvard University, Department of Economics Littauer M-12, Harvard University, 02138, Cambridge, MA, USA;Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, 600 S. Paulina, Suite 1020, 60612, Chicago, IL, USA;Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, 600 S. Paulina, Suite 1020, 60612, Chicago, IL, USA;Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, 600 S. Paulina, Suite 1020, 60612, Chicago, IL, USA;Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, 600 S. Paulina, Suite 1020, 60612, Chicago, IL, USA;

关键词: Mild Cognitive Impairment;    Cognitive Ability;    Risk Aversion;    Episodic Memory;    Semantic Memory;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2318-11-53

 received in 2011-05-17, accepted in 2011-09-11,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEmerging data from younger and middle-aged persons suggest that cognitive ability is negatively associated with risk aversion, but this association has not been studied among older persons who are at high risk of experiencing loss of cognitive function.MethodsUsing data from 369 community-dwelling older persons without dementia from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longitudinal epidemiologic study of aging, we examined the correlates of risk aversion and tested the hypothesis that cognition is negatively associated with risk aversion. Global cognition and five specific cognitive abilities were measured via detailed cognitive testing, and risk aversion was measured using standard behavioral economics questions in which participants were asked to choose between a certain monetary payment ($15) versus a gamble in which they could gain more than $15 or gain nothing; potential gamble gains ranged from $21.79 to $151.19 with the gain amounts varied randomly over questions. We first examined the bivariate associations of age, education, sex, income and cognition with risk aversion. Next, we examined the associations between cognition and risk aversion via mixed models adjusted for age, sex, education, and income. Finally, we conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure that our results were not driven by persons with preclinical cognitive impairment.ResultsIn bivariate analyses, sex, education, income and global cognition were associated with risk aversion. However, in a mixed effect model, only sex (estimate = -1.49, standard error (SE) = 0.39, p < 0.001) and global cognitive function (estimate = -1.05, standard error (SE) = 0.34, p < 0.003) were significantly inversely associated with risk aversion. Thus, a lower level of global cognitive function and female sex were associated with greater risk aversion. Moreover, performance on four out of the five cognitive domains was negatively related to risk aversion (i.e., semantic memory, episodic memory, working memory, and perceptual speed); performance on visuospatial abilities was not.ConclusionA lower level of cognitive ability and female sex are associated with greater risk aversion in advanced age.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Boyle et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011