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Cognition in Healthy Aging

Author

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  • Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo

    (Department of Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros

    (Department of Psychobiology and Health, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

The study of cognitive change across a life span, both in pathological and healthy samples, has been heavily influenced by developments in cognitive psychology as a theoretical paradigm, neuropsychology and other bio-medical fields; this alongside the increase in new longitudinal and cohort designs, complemented in the last decades by the evaluation of experimental interventions. Here, a review of aging databases was conducted, looking for the most relevant studies carried out on cognitive functioning in healthy older adults. The aim was to review not only longitudinal, cross-sectional or cohort studies, but also by intervention program evaluations. The most important studies, searching for long-term patterns of stability and change of cognitive measures across a life span and in old age, have shown a great range of inter-individual variability in cognitive functioning changes attributed to age. Furthermore, intellectual functioning in healthy individuals seems to decline rather late in life, if ever, as shown in longitudinal studies where age-related decline of cognitive functioning occurs later in life than indicated by cross-sectional studies. The longitudinal evidence and experimental trials have shown the benefits of aerobic physical exercise and an intellectually engaged lifestyle, suggesting that bio-psycho-socioenvironmental factors concurrently with age predict or determine both positive or negative change or stability in cognition in later life.

Suggested Citation

  • Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo & Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros, 2021. "Cognition in Healthy Aging," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-28, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:3:p:962-:d:485298
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    1. Eric Rojas-Montesino & Diego Méndez & Yolanda Espinosa-Parrilla & Eduardo Fuentes & Iván Palomo, 2022. "Analysis of Scientometric Indicators in Publications Associated with Healthy Aging in the World, Period 2011–2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, July.

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