Positive affect and cognitive decline: a 12-year follow-up of the Maastricht Aging Study.
OBJECTIVE
In cross-sectional studies, positive affect (PA) has been associated with higher levels of cognitive functioning. This study examined whether positive affect (PA) is associated with change in cognitive function over 12 years in an adult population sample.


METHODS
Participants (n = 258), aged 40 to 82 years, were drawn from a subsample of the Maastricht Aging Study (MAAS) and assessed at baseline, 6 years and 12 years. PA was measured at baseline with a Dutch translation of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). PA scores and associations with cognitive decline were tested in random-effects models.


RESULTS
Controlling for demographics and depressive symptoms, there was no significant association with PA scores and decline in memory (χ2  = 1.52; df = 2; P = 0.47), executive functions (χ2  = 0.99; df = 2; P = 0.61), and information processing speed (χ2  = 0.52; df = 2; P = 0.77) at 6- and 12-year follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
PA did not predict cognitive change over time. These findings question the extent of protective effects of PA on cognitive aging in adulthood, and are discussed in terms of age range and types of measures used for PA and cognition.
['Berk|Lotte|L|', 'van Boxtel|Martin|M|', 'Köhler|Sebastian|S|', 'van Os|Jim|J|']
D000328:Adult D000339:Affect D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D000375:Aging D003071:Cognition D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D056344:Executive Function D005260:Female D005500:Follow-Up Studies D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008568:Memory D008875:Middle Aged D011597:Psychomotor Performance
positive affect cognitive decline aging longitudinal design