Measuring Multidimensional Aspects of Health in the Oldest Old Using the NIH Toolbox: Results From the ARMADA Study

Objective: The percentage of older adults living into their 80s andbeyondis expanding rapidly. Characterization of typical cognitive performance in this population is complicated by a dearth of normative data for the oldest old. Additionally, little attention has been paid to other aspects of health, such as motor, sensory, and emotional functioning, that may interact with cognitive changes to predict quality of life and well-being. The current study used theNIH Toolbox (NIHTB)todetermine age group diferences between persons aged 65-84 and 85+ with normal cognition. Method: Participants were recruited in two agebands (i.e., 65-84 and 85+). All participants completed the NIHTB Cognition, Motor, Sensation, and Emotion modules. Independent-samples t-tests determined age group diferences with post-hoc adjustments using Bonferroni corrections. All subtest and composite scores were then regressed on age and other demographic covariates. Results: The 65-84 group obtained signifcantly higher scores than the 85+ group across all cognitive measures except oral reading, all motor measures except gait speed, and all sensation measures except pain interference. Age remained a signifcant predictor afer controlling for covariates. Age was not signifcantly associated with diferences in emotion scores. Conclusions: Results support the use of the NIHTB in persons over 85 with normal cognition. As expected, fuid reasoning abilities and certain motor and sensory functions decreased with age in the oldest old. Inclusion of motor and sensation batteries is warranted when studying trajectories of aging in the oldest old to allow for multidimensional characterization of health.