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Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition
A Journal on Normal and Dysfunctional Development
Volume 19, 2012 - Issue 6
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Original Articles

Sex differences in cognition in healthy elderly individuals

Cynthia A. Munro Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USACorrespondence[email protected]
,
Jessica M. Winicki Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
,
David J. Schretlen Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
,
Emily W. Gower Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
,
Kathleen A. Turano Lions Vision Center, Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
,
Beatriz Muñoz Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
,
Lisa Keay George Institute for Global Health, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
,
Karen Bandeen-Roche Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
&
Sheila K. West Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
 show all
Pages 759-768 | Received 17 Oct 2011, Accepted 07 Mar 2012, Published online: 06 Jun 2012
 
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ABSTRACT

Sex differences in patterns of cognitive test performance have been attributed to factors, such as sex hormones or sexual dimorphisms in brain structure, that change with normal aging. The current study examined sex differences in patterns of cognitive test performance in healthy elderly individuals. Cognitive test scores of 957 men and women (age 67–89), matched for overall level of cognitive test performance, age, education, and depression scale score, were compared. Men and women were indistinguishable on tests of auditory divided attention, category fluency, and executive functioning. In contrast, women performed better than men on tests of psychomotor speed and verbal learning and memory, whereas men outperformed women on tests of visuoconstruction and visual perception. Our finding that the pattern of sex differences in cognition observed in young adults is observed in old age has implications for future studies of both healthy elderly individuals and of those with cognitive disorders.

Acknowledgments

This paper was supported by Grant AG23110 from the National Institute on Aging (SKW), and the Research to Prevent Blindness Althouse Special Scholars Award (EWG, SKW).

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