Slow reaction time, poor memory linked to increased mortality

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Poor cognition at all ages has an impact on life expectancy.
It has long been assumed that poor memory and slower reaction times are a consequence of the aging brain. But a new study from the University of Edinburgh suggests that there is more to poor cognition than this and that it is a health risk factor in its own right.

As part of the UK Health and Lifestyle Survey they followed a group of 6,424 participants aged 18 to 94, assessing their performance on cognitive tests and looking at their death risk over 19 years. Between July 1985 and May 2003, 1,366 of the participants had died. Of these, 52 were aged 20 to 39, 351 aged 40 to 59 and 963 aged 60 or more. Lower scores on reaction time and poor memory were linked in with a higher mortality in the youngest and oldest age groups, but not the middle group.

The researchers wonder if reaction time is a marker for general overall body deterioration. It may also be that higher cognitive ability is linked to healthier behaviors. The findings suggest that efforts to improve cognitive performance, through education, can benefit health and longevity.

Source
Psychosomatic Medicine January 2006

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