Cognitive and neuroscientific perspectives of healthy ageing

Jon B Prince; Helen L Davis; Jane Tan; Katrina Muller-Townsend; Shaun Markovic; David M G Lewis; Brianne Hastie; Matthew B Thompson; Peter D Drummond; Hakuei Fujiyama; Hamid R Sohrabi

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105649

Cognitive and neuroscientific perspectives of healthy ageing

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2024 Jun:161:105649. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105649. Epub 2024 Apr 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, WA, Australia. Electronic address: Jon.Prince@murdoch.edu.au.
² School of Psychology, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, WA, Australia.
³ School of Psychology, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Discipline of Psychology, Counselling and Criminology, Edith Cowan University, WA, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychology, Murdoch University, WA, Australia.
⁵ School of Psychology, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, WA, Australia.
⁶ School of Psychology, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, WA, Australia.
⁷ School of Psychology, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, WA, Australia; School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, WA, Australia; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: Hamid.Sohrabi@murdoch.edu.au.

PMID: 38579902
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105649

Abstract

With dementia incidence projected to escalate significantly within the next 25 years, the United Nations declared 2021-2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing, emphasising cognition as a crucial element. As a leading discipline in cognition and ageing research, psychology is well-equipped to offer insights for translational research, clinical practice, and policy-making. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the current state of knowledge on age-related changes in cognition and psychological health. We discuss cognitive changes during ageing, including (a) heterogeneity in the rate, trajectory, and characteristics of decline experienced by older adults, (b) the role of cognitive reserve in age-related cognitive decline, and (c) the potential for cognitive training to slow this decline. We also examine ageing and cognition through multiple theoretical perspectives. We highlight critical unresolved issues, such as the disparate implications of subjective versus objective measures of cognitive decline and the insufficient evaluation of cognitive training programs. We suggest future research directions, and emphasise interdisciplinary collaboration to create a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that modulate cognitive ageing.

Keywords: Cognition; Healthy ageing; Neuroscience.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aging / physiology
Cognition* / physiology
Cognitive Aging / physiology
Cognitive Dysfunction / physiopathology
Cognitive Reserve / physiology
Healthy Aging* / physiology
Healthy Aging* / psychology
Humans