On the origin of cognition: How childhood conditions shape cognitive function in old age

This paper examines the long-term relationship between early childhood conditions and cognitive ageing. Using unique data from a longitudinal survey of Chinese older people, we find that people with adverse childhood conditions not only have lower cognitive ability, but also exhibit faster cognitive deterioration at older ages. The results also indicate that the educational attainment is one of the most important channels mediating the associations. Further analyses suggest that females suffer more from the adverse childhood conditions than males, and the relationship is more pronounced for the fluid intelligence than the crystallized intelligence.