Memory, thinking, and aging. What we know about what we know.
Cognition is the foundation that underlies all daily activities, from the most basic to the most complex. Successful aging depends, in large part, on maintaining a level of cognitive ability that allows a person to interact effectively and appropriately with the environment. In the following article we provide an overview of the effects of aging on cognition; discuss physical, social, and psychological factors that have been shown to influence cognition in old age; and review current literature on interventions that may optimize successful cognitive aging. We conclude with a discussion of abnormal cognitive aging and review current research on risk factors and treatments of Alzheimer's disease and other dementing illnesses.
Teri
L
L
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195-6560, USA. lteri@u.washington.edu
McCurry
S M
SM
Logsdon
R G
RG
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology