Cognition in Ageing

2018 ◽  
pp. 118-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susmita Halder ◽  
Akash Kumar Mahato
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Daily Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Geriatric Population ◽  
Medical Issues ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Growing Age ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Brain

This chapter focuses on cognitive functions and impairment in the elderly; its implications in daily functioning with inputs on differences in the existing literature. The chapter further focuses on the diagnostic and assessment issues and intervention strategies. Ageing is an inevitable phase of life and encompasses changes in physical, psychological and social realms of an individual. Concern with the dwindling health and presence of any medical issues make the geriatric population prone to develop mental health conditions. Poor memory and reduced functional ability is one of the common complaints from older adults coming to psychiatric or neurology clinics. Cognitive functions have been well documented regarding their role in daily functioning of an individual. With growing age of the brain; while some cognitive functions do slow down; some of the functions do evolve better with experience. In this context, it is important to differentiate between normal age related cognitive changes and symptoms of any degenerative disease.

Functional MRI Studies of Cognitive Evaluation in the Elderly

2018 ◽  
pp. 119-139
Keyword(s):  
The Elderly ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Major Surgery ◽  
Medical Illness ◽  
Mental Function ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Compensatory Response ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Brain

Over the last century, life expectancy has improved significantly in the United States—from 47 years for men and 49 years for women in 1900 to 76 years and 81 years, respectively, in 2017. Older people have altered mental function that can vary from subtle cognitive changes to dementia. Additionally in elderly patients cognitive function seems to worsen after a medical illness, hospital admission or major surgery. The cognitive neuroscience of aging is an emerging field of research. Clinically, older patients can show alteration in working memory, executive function, multitasking, speed of response, etc. Anatomically, age-related changes in the brain are primarily in the frontal lobe. However, in neuropathological diseases affecting cognition in elderly (Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, etc.), the changes are primarily in the temporal lobe. fMRI activation studies have revealed consistent changes in activation pattern with age. In younger persons, many activation-induced responses are lateralized—verbal activation is lateralized to the left and spatial memory activation is right lateralized. In the elderly, these activations induce a bilateral response. This is an age-related compensatory response. fMRI connectivity studies give a global perspective on mental function. The default mode network (DMN) is active in the resting “no task” state of the brain; with a task, activity decreases in the DMN. The elderly have less resting DMN activity than younger people, and their ability to decrease DMN activity during a task (which is essential for shifting attention and focusing on a task) is also less.

scholarly journals Geriatric oral health concerns, a dental public health narrative

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 883
Author(s):  
Ramprasad Vasthare ◽  
Anil V. Ankola ◽  
Arron Lim Yan Ran ◽  
Prateek Mansingh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Dental Public Health ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Geriatric Population ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Treatment Services

Across the world, the segment of the elderly in populations is seen to be increasing at a rapid rate. There also exists a trend in which more teeth are retained as age increases due to effective dental public health measures like fluoridation. This inevitably places an increased need for dental healthcare among the geriatric populations. Since oral health greatly affects the systemic health of aged individuals, it is imperative for dentists and physicians to work together as a team to impart treatment to the best of one’s abilities for geriatric patients. It is therefore, necessary to first assess the oral health concerns surrounding the geriatric population from the perspective of public health dentistry. Relationship of the elderly with periodontal disease, dental caries, salivary hyposalivation and xerostomia, cognitive changes, and simultaneous usage of diverse medications was discussed. This paper reviewed the literature and then examined and discussed the various problems mentioned in depth and suggested recommendations for a plan of action. Knowledge about the specific oral health concerns and issues will help to better position us in developing strategies for providing better oral healthcare to the geriatric population in addition to the existing systemic healthcare. In the future, the elderly will make up a huge portion of the demographic visiting dentist regularly for a myriad of oral health problems. Dental health professionals therefore, must have adequate training and competency to deal with the predicament of this geriatric population. Preventive and treatment services can ensure healthy aging which will improve the quality of life.

scholarly journals Association of apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism with cognitive abilities variability of elderly people

2018 ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
А.В. Марусин ◽  
О.А. Макеева ◽  
К.В. Вагайцева ◽  
А.В. Бочарова ◽  
М.Г. Сваровская ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Natural Aging ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Protein Isoforms ◽  
Apolipoprotein E Gene ◽  
Median Test ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain

Physiological changes in the brain with natural aging and the development of dementia have a common genetic basis, which makes it important to search for genetic variants that delineate the natural decline in cognitive abilities with age and dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Objective: the search for the relationship between two polymorphic variants (rs429358 and rs7412) APOE gene and their protein isoforms (apoE) with the variability of cognitive functions in the elderly, determined by Montreal Cognitive Assessmnet (MoCA) total score. The study was performed on a group of 695 elderly people (177 men and 518 women) tested by a battery of MoCA tests. Genotyping was carried out by real-time PCR using TaqMan probes. The analysis of genotypic variability associations with the nominal trait was performed by the Kruskel-Wallis and the median test nonparametric methods.It was shown that the rs429358*C allele carriers and protein isoforms e4/e4+e2/e4+e3/e4 carriers in comparison with the e3/e3 homozygous have the greatest risk of decreased cognitive abilities in old age (OR (95% CI) was 1.51 (1.09 - 2.10), c = 6.66, p = 0.01 and OR = 1.64, 95% CI (1.11 - 2.44), c = 6.76, p = 0.009, respectively). Probably, the revealed associations indicate to the presence of common genes and mechanisms for dementia and intellect with normal variability of cognitive functions inheritance.

Role of positive pressure therapy on sleep disordered breathing and cognition in the elderly

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly E. Zimmerman ◽  
Mark S. Aloia
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sleep Disordered Breathing ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Positive Pressure ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Pressure Therapy ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Disordered Breathing

Efforts aimed toward alleviating senescence have intensified as older adults occupy an increasing proportion of the population. Cognitive abilities become compromised with advancing age, with a vast heterogeneity of presentations, ranging from occasional word-finding difficulties to dementia. The role of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in moderating or mediating age-related cognitive decline is particularly relevant given its potential reversibility in response to positive airway pressure (PAP) therapies. Establishment of SDB as a significant contributor to the development of dementia and cognitive dysfunction among the elderly has immense public health relevance, underscoring the importance of its early identification and treatment. Although several studies have examined the effect of PAP on cognitive function in older adults with SDB, additional prospective randomized clinical trials are needed. This chapter reviews the literature on SDB and cognition among the elderly as well as cognitive changes in response to PAP. Considerations for future research are also discussed.

scholarly journals A review of creatine supplementation in age-related diseases: more than a supplement for athletes

F1000Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel N. Smith ◽  
Amruta S. Agharkar ◽  
Eric B. Gonzales
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Brain Aging ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Creatine Supplementation ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Gyrate Atrophy ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Brain

Creatine is an endogenous compound synthesized from arginine, glycine and methionine. This dietary supplement can be acquired from food sources such as meat and fish, along with athlete supplement powders. Since the majority of creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, dietary creatine supplementation has traditionally been important for athletes and bodybuilders to increase the power, strength, and mass of the skeletal muscle. However, new uses for creatine have emerged suggesting that it may be important in preventing or delaying the onset of neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging. On average, 30% of muscle mass is lost by age 80, while muscular weakness remains a vital cause for loss of independence in the elderly population. In light of these new roles of creatine, the dietary supplement’s usage has been studied to determine its efficacy in treating congestive heart failure, gyrate atrophy, insulin insensitivity, cancer, and high cholesterol. In relation to the brain, creatine has been shown to have antioxidant properties, reduce mental fatigue, protect the brain from neurotoxicity, and improve facets/components of neurological disorders like depression and bipolar disorder. The combination of these benefits has made creatine a leading candidate in the fight against age-related diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, long-term memory impairments associated with the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke. In this review, we explore the normal mechanisms by which creatine is produced and its necessary physiology, while paying special attention to the importance of creatine supplementation in improving diseases and disorders associated with brain aging and outlining the clinical trials involving creatine to treat these diseases.

scholarly journals Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Beurskens ◽  
Otmar Bock
Keyword(s):  
Dual Task ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Present Knowledge ◽  
The Other ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Plastic Changes ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Partial Compensation

This review summarizes our present knowledge about elderly people's problems with walking. We highlight the plastic changes in the brain that allow a partial compensation of these age-related deficits and discuss the associated costs and limitations. Experimental evidence for the crucial role of executive functions and working memory is presented, leading us to the hypothesis that it is difficult for seniors to coordinate two streams of visual information, one related to navigation through visually defined space, and the other to a visually demanding second task. This hypothesis predicts that interventions aimed at the efficiency of visuovisual coordination in the elderly will ameliorate their deficits in dual-task walking.

scholarly journals Eph Receptors and Ephrins in Retinal Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6207
Author(s):  
Radoslaw Kaczmarek ◽  
Pawel Gajdzis ◽  
Malgorzata Gajdzis
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Retinopathy ◽  
Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Common Point ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Retinal Diseases ◽  
Eph Receptors ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Common

Retinal diseases are the leading cause of irreversible blindness. They affect people of all ages, from newborns in retinopathy of prematurity, through age-independent diabetic retinopathy and complications of retinal detachment, to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which occurs mainly in the elderly. Generally speaking, the causes of all problems are disturbances in blood supply, hypoxia, the formation of abnormal blood vessels, and fibrosis. Although the detailed mechanisms underlying them are varied, the common point is the involvement of Eph receptors and ephrins in their pathogenesis. In our study, we briefly discussed the pathophysiology of the most common retinal diseases (diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and choroidal neovascularization) and collected available research results on the role of Eph and ephrins. We also discussed the safety aspect of the use of drugs acting on Eph and ephrin for ophthalmic indications.

scholarly journals The Biology and Pathobiology of Glutamatergic, Cholinergic, and Dopaminergic Signaling in the Aging Brain

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Gasiorowska ◽  
Malgorzata Wydrych ◽  
Patrycja Drapich ◽  
Maciej Zadrozny ◽  
Marta Steczkowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Aging Brain ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Parkinson’S Diseases ◽  
The Brain

The elderly population is growing worldwide, with important health and socioeconomic implications. Clinical and experimental studies on aging have uncovered numerous changes in the brain, such as decreased neurogenesis, increased synaptic defects, greater metabolic stress, and enhanced inflammation. These changes are associated with cognitive decline and neurobehavioral deficits. Although aging is not a disease, it is a significant risk factor for functional worsening, affective impairment, disease exaggeration, dementia, and general disease susceptibility. Conversely, life events related to mental stress and trauma can also lead to accelerated age-associated disorders and dementia. Here, we review human studies and studies on mice and rats, such as those modeling human neurodegenerative diseases, that have helped elucidate (1) the dynamics and mechanisms underlying the biological and pathological aging of the main projecting systems in the brain (glutamatergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic) and (2) the effect of defective glutamatergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic projection on disabilities associated with aging and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Detailed knowledge of the mechanisms of age-related diseases can be an important element in the development of effective ways of treatment. In this context, we briefly analyze which adverse changes associated with neurodegenerative diseases in the cholinergic, glutaminergic and dopaminergic systems could be targeted by therapeutic strategies developed as a result of our better understanding of these damaging mechanisms.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of the Pharmacological Modulation of Obsessive-Compulsive and Cognitive Disorders in Cats Recognized by the Method of Normalizing FFT-Convertible Functions of Electrograms of the Frontal Cortex and Hippocampus

Biomeditsina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. N. Karkischenko ◽  
V. N. Karkischenko ◽  
Yu. V. Fokin
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Parameters ◽  
Frequency Range ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Pharmacological Modulation ◽  
The Brain

The pharmacological modulation and analysis of psychopathological processes in animals is a research method providing a possibility to study similar processes in humans. Methods and approaches based on the principles of the pharmacological modulation of systemic behaviour and normalization of FFT-transformed functions of the brain electrograms allow identification of the quantitative parameters of intracentral relations, cognitive functions and fundamental mechanisms for evaluating the effects of neuropsychoactive drugs in the whole brain in vivo.The work was carried out on cats with stereotactically implanted electrodes in the brain. Subtherapeutic doses of ketamine, amphetamine and nakom were used to model obsessive-compulsive disorders and cognitive changes. The pharmacological modulation of the animals’ behaviour was evaluated by the effect on the frontal brain and hippocampus. The activation of γ-rhythms (from 35 to 60 Hz) was considered as an improvement in cognitive functions. Ketamine exhibited a more pronounced depressing effect on the proreal gyrus, with its activating effects being close to amphetamine across the frequency ranges of 11–15 and 32–35 Hz. Ketamine had a pronounced activating effect on the gyrus suprasilvium anterior and the hippocampus. Ketamin and nakom demonstrated similar effects in the area of the proreal gyrus, most clearly manifested at frequencies of about 9–15 and 35–36 Hz. The action of nakom was characterized by the episodes of activation in a higher frequency range of 40–55 Hz as well. In the area of the gyrus suprasilvium anterior, the effects of nakom were similar to those of ketamine; however, these substances exhibited different effects in the range of 9–11 Hz. Compared to amphetamine, nakom showed no depressing episodes over the high-frequency range of 55–65 Hz. In the hippocampus, nakom demonstrated an activating effect exceeding that of ketamine by 100–150%. It was shown that neuroimaging of the normalized functions of electrograms during the pharmacological modulation of obsessive-compulsive and cognitive disorders reflects the most striking transformations in high-frequency brain rhythms, primarily related to the γ-range.Comparison of the results of pharmacomodulation with the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs when modelling psychopathologies in animals helps researchers in their search for approaches to modifying animal behaviour and extrapolating them to humans.

scholarly journals Perspective of application of nonlinear stimulation therapy in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries and maintenance of cognitive functions in the elderly

2018 ◽  
pp. 36-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. V. Zueva
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Traumatic Brain Injuries ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Optical Signals ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Neurodegenerative Pathology ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Stimulation Of

Cognitive decline characterizes normal physiological aging and is aggravated by the development of age-related neurodegenerative pathology and traumatic brain damage (TBI). Te review analyzes widely discussed in the scientifc literature non-drug methods of rehabilitation of patients with TBI and elderly people suffering from cognitive decline, including the paradigm of enrichment of the environment, cognitive and physical training and various types of stimulation therapy and their shortcomings. Special attention is paid to the advantages of fractal stimulation of the brain by complex-structured optical signals and sensory stimuli of another modality. It is assumed that the use of new approaches to neurorehabilitation, which increase the potential of neuroplasticity will also allow strengthening the therapeutic and learning impacts of any other methods of training and treating the brain.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document