Epidemiologia zaburzeń neuropoznawczych u pacjentów w wieku podeszłym

Wioletta Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska¹, Katarzyna Kwiecień-Jaguś¹, Renata Piotrkowska², Piotr Jarzynkowski²

Summary
The phenomenon of progressive impairment of cognitive functions is characteristic for the aging process. More than half of people over 50 complain about weakening of their previous intellectual performance, reduced mood, impaired memory, psychomotor slowing down, decreased ability to concentrate and divide attention, extend reaction time and reduce motor performance. The basis of mental changes in the elderly are changes in the brain. The changes arising in the aging brain are the result of pathological processes: metabolic and altered cerebral circulation. These changes, and mainly their extent, consequently cause brain dysfunction and are manifested mainly in the deterioration of mental functions. The brain is first and foremost the material basis of a mental life. With age, slow, cumulative and irreversible morphological and functional changes occur in the human brain. This process is slow, which is why it is accompanied by a number of compensation mechanisms. This phenomenon occurs regardless of gender. The aim of this article is to present the key issues related to memory functioning in the elderly, with particular emphasis on neurocognitive impairment after surgery.

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