Researching the Obvious

Some scientific research doesn't translate well to the popular press. I find the following a bit too obvious to be worth serious investigation. But I'm willing to admit that the write-up probably misrepresents the real science behind this report. But on the surface, it looks a lot like reporting that a "scientist discovers that water is a liquid"...

A new study indicates that some aspects of peoples' cognitive skills – such as the ability to make rapid comparisons, remember unrelated information and detect relationships – peak at about the age of 22, and then begin a slow decline starting around age 27.

"This research suggests that some aspects of age-related cognitive decline begin in healthy, educated adults when they are in their 20s and 30s," said Timothy Salthouse, a University of Virginia professor of psychology and the study's lead investigator.

His findings appear in the current issue of the journal Neurobiology of Aging.