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I think it is relevant because dementia is "a decline in thinking skills, also known as cognitive abilities, severe enough to impair daily life and independent
by dr_kiszonka 5y ago
I think it is relevant because dementia is "a decline in thinking skills, also known as cognitive abilities, severe enough to impair daily life and independent function."[0]
If a decrease in cognitive abilities leads to impaired independence (and consequently life outcomes), then it would make sense that an increase in cognitive abilities leads to improved life outcomes. Here, I am assuming that this effect is monotonic across the whole range of cognitive abilities, which the submitted article seems to confirm.
Of course, I am comparing individuals having a medical condition (dementia) with, as far as I understand, cognitively intact study participants, but I think it doesn't meaningfully weaken my argument. If you disagree, I'd love to understand why.
0. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia
- ubercore 5y ago> Of course, I am comparing individuals having a medical condition (dementia) with, as far as I understand, cognitively intact study participants, but I think it doesn't meaningfully weaken my argument. This is exactly why. Because dementia has specific non-global effects on cognitive ability. It's a disease. The impairments caused by dementia aren't a linear projection down from a non-diseased state. Even if outcomes in terms of how the study defined them end up in a similar place, dementia isn't actually supporting evidence in any meaningful way.