Table 1.
Description of the participants
| Younger adults (N = 13) | Older adults (N = 14) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (±SD) | Range | Mean | Range | |
| Age | 26.85 (±4.49) | 21–34 years | 68.24 (±4.07) | 61–74 years |
| Education (in number of years) | 17.61 (±0.5) | 15–21 years | 17.64 (±1.4) | 11–33 years |
| Gender ratio (M|F) | 5|8 | 4|10 | ||
| Handedness | 19.3 (±0.85) | 18–20 | 19.85 (±0.36) | 19–20 |
| MOCA (/30)a | 29.23 (±1.16) | 27–30 | 27.4 (±1.28) | 26–30 |
| Geriatric depression scale (/30)b | 2.53 (±2.18) | 0–6 | 0.93 (±1.59) | 0–5 |
The MOCA is a short cognitive test that is scored on a 30‐point scale. Higher scores indicate better cognitive functions. A score of ≥ 26 is considered normal. This score is adjusted for age and education. All participants scored normal at the test, but the young adults had higher scores than the older adults (t (25) = 3.5, P = 0.002).
The Geriatric depression scale (GDS) includes 30 questions. Each “negative” answer is worth one point; thus, a higher score indicates a more depressed state. For example, question one asks whether the person is globally satisfied with his/her life. A “no” answer is worth one point, whereas a “yes” answer is worth no point. Participants with global scores between 0 and 9 are considered normal, while global scores between 10 and 19 indicate a depression, and scores between 20 and 30 indicate a severe depression. All participants scored normal at the test, but the young adults were slightly less positive than the older adults (t (25) = 2.2, P = 0.037).