Cognitive decline refers to a gradual worsening of mental functions like memory, reasoning, attention, language, etc. It is a normal part of aging, but can also signal underlying medical conditions.
As we grow older, changes occur in the brain that can cause cognitive abilities to slowly deteriorate. This natural decline begins in our late 20s and early 30s, but is hardly noticeable until our 60s and 70s. Some key changes that contribute to age-related cognitive decline include:
The most common signs of normal age-related cognitive decline are:
However, when cognitive impairments become severe enough to impact daily life, it could indicate early dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Key markers of pathological cognitive decline versus normal aging include:
Risk factors that can accelerate cognitive decline in older adults include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, low education, social isolation, and lack of mental stimulation.
Strategies to potentially slow age-related cognitive decline include:
In summary, mild cognitive decline is a normal part of aging. But significant memory, reasoning or functional problems should be evaluated by a doctor at Revive Hormones to determine if there is an underlying condition causing the changes. Healthy lifestyle choices might help sustain cognitive health into old age.