认知年老化和老年心理健康

Cognitive Aging and Mental Health in the Elderly

认知功能和心理健康是健康老龄化的两个基本要素。认知功能随年老而加速减退,其机制的探讨表明,加工速度、工作记忆和执行功能在认知年老过程中均起重要的中介作用。大多数老年人的心理健康状况较好、生活满意度较高,其心态随年龄的增高而更趋于平静满足,但独居和绝对空巢老人的某些心理健康问题不容忽视。认知年老化过程和老年人的心理健康状况分别受诸多因素的影响,研究结果为延缓认知功能的年老减退和保持老年人的心理健康,以及实现健康老龄化和积极老龄化提供了有益的启示。

Cognitive function and mental health are two essential elements of healthy aging. Cognitive functions accelerated declined with increased age. Studies on mechanism of cognitive aging indicated that processing speed, working memory and executive function play important roles in the normal aging of cognitive abilities. The level of mental health and life satisfaction in most of the elderly was relatively high, and the state of mind tended to quiet and satisfaction with increased age. However, more attention should be paid to mental health problems in empty nest and/or single living elderly. Cognitive function and mental health of the elderly were influenced by many factors. These results provide useful suggestions on how to moderate the decline of cognitive functions and keep mental health of the elderly.