The effects of normal aging on multiple aspects of financial decision-making

Objectives Financial decision-making (FDM) is crucial for independent living. Due to cognitive decline that accompanies normal aging, older adults might have difficulties in some aspects of FDM. However, an improved knowledge, personal experience and affective decision-making, which are also related to normal aging, may lead to a stable or even improved age-related performance in some other aspects of FDM. Therefore, the present explorative study examines the effects of normal aging on multiple aspects of FDM. Methods One-hundred and eighty participants (range 18-87 years) were assessed with eight FDM tests and several standard neuropsychological tests. Age effects were evaluated using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The validity of the prediction models was examined by internal validation (i.e. bootstrap resampling procedure) as well as external validation on another, independent, sample of participants (n = 124). Multiple regression and correlation analyses were applied to investigate the mediation effect of standard measures of cognition on the observed effects of age on FDM. Results On a relatively basic level of FDM (e.g., paying bills or using FDM styles) no significant effects of aging were found. However more complex FDM, such as making decisions in accordance with specific rules, becomes more difficult with advancing age. Furthermore, an older age was found to be related to a decreased sensitivity for impulsive buying. These results were confirmed by the internal and external validation analyses. Mediation effects of numeracy and planning were found to explain parts of the association between one aspect of FDM (i.e. Competence in decision rules) and age; however, these cognitive domains were not able to completely explain the relation between age and FDM. Conclusion Normal aging has a negative influence on a complex aspect of FDM, however, other aspects appear to be unaffected by normal aging or improve

Parkinson's disease: neuroimaging and clinical studies on cognition and depression

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder which is caused by a degeneration of dopamine producing neurons. The disease is characterized by motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, tremor and rigidity however, cognitive impairments and depression are often present. Cognitive impairments can be found in both automatic and controlled processing. Automatic processing takes advantage of previously established and learned behavioral patterns, while controlled processing is needed in new situations in which previously established and learnt behavioral patterns are not sufficient. The studies included in this thesis investigate cognitive functioning and depression in PD using neuroimaging and clinical methods. Our studies show that the symptoms of PD in the motor, cognitive and emotional domains are associated or overlap. These associations occur both within domains of impairment as well as between domains of impairment. Within the motor domain and the domain of cognition PD patients show deautomatisation and difficulties learning new skills or automaticities. PD patients however, compensate by showing an increased reliance on controlled processing and a decreased reliance on automatic processing. Depression is another domain of impairment in PD. Depression may have a negative influence on cognition in PD. However, both cognitive impairments and motor symptoms can also influence the assessment of depression in PD, since these cognitive impairments and motor symptoms can be part of both PD and primary depression. The diagnosis of depression in PD therefore needs to be carefully considered.

Vienna Test System (VTS): The Groningen Effort Test (GET)

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