Risk and protective factors associated with cognitive decline in aging - a systematic review of literature - doi: 10.5020/18061230.2012.p364

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a systematic literature review, in SciELO and PubMed databases, about the cognitive and linguistic changes associated with aging, focusing on risk and protective factors. Methods: Articles conducted with people aged 60 or more and published between 2002 and 2008 were searched in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Results: 72 studies were reviewed in 38 different journals, being 9.7% (7) from national journals and 90.3% (65) from international ones, and 26.3% (10) in the area of Neurology, 23.7% (9) Geriatrics and Aging, 13.2% (5) Epidemiology and Public Health, 10.5% (4) Psychiatry and the rest from magazines of different health issues. The longitudinal design was used in 51.3% (37) and the cross-sectional one, in 36.1% (26). About the data collection instruments, 48.6% (35) of the works used the Mini-Mental State Examination, 15.1% (11) used the Verbal Fluency Test, 12.5% (9) the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 9.7% (7) the Boston Naming Test and 13.8% (10) Geriatric Depression Scale. We identified relationships between cognition in aging and biological factors in 69.4% (50) of the researches. Some studies have indicated increased likelihood of cognitive impairment among elderly people with depressive symptoms and among smokers. Studies have shown a positive effect of education and participation in physical and social activities on cognition. Conclusions: Studies in the analyzed period specifically investigated the relationship between biological risk factors and cognitive decline. Little attention was given to linguistic changes and protective factors associated with aging.