Aging Cognitive Changes

Type of psychology: Cognition; intelligence and intelligence testing;
learning; memory; psychopathology; sensation and perception
Fields of study: Aging; behavioral and cognitive models; cognitive
processes; social perception and cognition; thought
Behavioral scientists have become increasingly interested in studying the cognitive
changes that occur in the elderly across time. Studies have been conducted in order to
assist individuals in their adjustment to aging as well as to unlock the secrets of the aging
process itself.
Key concepts
• attention
• cognition
• environmental influences
• information processing
• learning
• long-term memory
• mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
• pacing of instruction
• sensoriperceptual changes
• short-term memory
Cognitive changes refer to those changes which occur in overall mental
functions and operations. Cognition encompasses all mental operations and
functions, including attention, intelligence, memory, language and speech,
perception, learning, concept formation, thought, problem solving, spatial
and time orientation, and motor/behavior control. Psychologists have
worked to define and measure various areas of cognitive functioning, even
though there has been no consensus about these areas. Understanding the
progression of cognitive functioning requires an understanding of brain
structure and those human functions emanating from the brain and its fullest
human potentiality, the mind. There is considerable debate within the
scientific community about what type of cognitive functions actually exist as
well as the nature of the mental mechanisms that are necessary to understand
cognitive functioning.
A common belief is that cognitive abilities decline markedly in older individuals.
More and more, however, this idea is being shown to be exaggerated.
Studies attest that the diminishment of cognitive skills with age may
not be significant, especially before the age of about seventy-five. Aging has
been found to have different effects on long-term and short-term memory
processes. The capacity of short-term memory (which is quite limited in all age groups) remains essentially the same for people as they age. Long-term
memory, however, does show a decline. This decline can be minimized by
various strategies; the use of mnemonic devices is very effective, as is taking
extra time in learning and remembering.
Both biological and environmental factors have been studied in regard to
aging and cognition. An environment that induces apathy or depression has
been found to have a lowering effect on cognitive abilities. Environments
that provide stimuli to interest the individual can reduce cognitive decline.
Moreover, at least one study has found that providing challenging stimuli
can even reverse cognitive declines that have been observed. There is a tremendous
range of aging effects from individual to individual, with some
showing virtually no changes and others showing serious decay of functions.
It should be noted that this discussion concerns cognition in healthy individuals;
diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease and
events such as strokes (cardiovascular accidents) have effects on memory
that are considered separately from the normal effects of aging.
Modern research on cognitive changes caused by aging emphasizes the
information-processing capabilities of individuals as reflected in memory
capacities. Memory is a basic psychological function upon which higherlevel
psychological processes such as speech, learning, concept formation,
and problem solving are based. Lester Sdorow describes the brain’s
information-processing capacities as the human being’s active acquisition of
information about the world. Sensory stimuli are transmitted to the brain,
where replicas of the external world are stored briefly in the sensory registry
(one second for visual stimuli and four seconds for auditory memory). Information
is then transferred to short-term memory for about twenty seconds,
unless it is actively rehearsed, then into long-termmemory, where it is
potentially retained for a lifetime.