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Cognitive Impairment
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Cognitive Impairment or Cognitive deficit is an inclusive term to describe any characteristic
that acts as a barrier to the cognition process. The term may describe deficits in global
intellectual performance, as with intellectual disabilities; it may describe specific deficits in
cognitive abilities (learning disorders, dyslexia); or it may describe drug-induced
cognitive/memory impairment, such as that seen with alcohol, glucocorticoids, and the
benzodiazepines. It usually refers to a durable characteristic, as opposed to altered level of
consciousness, which may be acute and reversible. Cognitive deficits may be congenital or
caused by environmental factors such as brain injuries, neurological disorders, or mental
illness.
Case studies
There is evidence to indicate that parallel age trends have been similar over a vast amount of
time, as with Schaie’s Seattle Longitudinal Study, which contained fifty years worth of data
as well as seventy years in Wechsler tests. Studies such as these have demonstrated the
different patterns in age trends have two specific patterns in cognition, a constant decrease in
measures of processing abilities such as reasoning, and stability followed by a steady decline
for knowledge previously acquired.
A twelve-year study published in 2012 researched the effects of lifestyle activities on
cognitive deficit in the hopes that a long study such as this could, to some degree, help older
adults to ward off cognitive decline. The study looked at verbal speed, episodic memory, and
semantic memory to be influenced by physical, social, and cognitive activities. The results of
the study concluded that maintenance of cognitive functions with normal aging can be
maintained by keeping an active lifestyle. The results also seemed to conclude that the
correlation between lifestyle activities and cognition is not a simple one, as not all cognitive
abilities were related to changes in the daily activities. Therefore, further research of
longitudinal design observing the matches between activities and cognitive abilities in
cognitively impaired adults could be critical.
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Longitudinal studies using brain imaging have been done in an attempt to note early signs of
cognitive decline on healthy individuals before changes noticed clinically occur. In this way
the study attempted to find more biomarkers for early onset of degenerative diseases. The
results from the study concluded that there are indeed patterns of brain abnormality that can
be associated with brain decline.
In a cross-sectional study, researchers investigated patients with mood disorders in
comparison with a control group to see if there was a difference on the effect of aging
between the groups. These patients were tested with the Central Nervous System Vital Signs,
a neurocognitive battery test. The study examined subjects from ages 18 to 90, noticing a
sharp decline in the patients with mood disorder compared to the normal group when subjects
were ages 65 and up. These declines were observed in the cognitive areas of attention,
executive function, processing speed, and memory.
Other findings
Although one would expect cognitive decline to have major effects on job performance, it
seems that there is little to no correlation of health with job performance. With the exception
of cognitive-dependent jobs such as air-traffic controller, professional athlete, or other elite
jobs, age does not seem to impact one’s job performance. This obviously conflicts with
cognitive tests given, so the matter has been researched further. One possible reason for this
conclusion is the rare need for a person to perform at their maximum. There is a difference
between typical functioning, that is – the normal level of functioning for daily life, and
maximal functioning, that is – what cognitive tests observe as our maximum level of
functioning. As the maximum cognitive ability that we are able to achieve decreases, it may
not actually affect our daily lives, which only require the normal level.
Some studies have indicated that childhood hunger might have a protective effect on
cognitive decline. One possible explanation is that the onset of age-related changes in the
body can be delayed by calorie restriction. Another possible explanation is the selective
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survival effect, as the study participants who had a childhood with hunger tend to be the
healthiest of their era.
Prompt environmental effects
In 2015, experimental studies reported the detection of significant episodic (situational)
cognitive impairment from impurities in the air breathed by test subjects who were not
informed about changes in the air quality. Researchers at the Harvard University and SUNY
Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University measured the cognitive performance of
24 participants in three different controlled laboratory atmospheres that simulated those
found in "conventional" and "green" buildings, as well as green buildings with enhanced
ventilation. Performance was evaluated objectively using the widely used Strategic
Management Simulation software simulation tool, which is a well-validated assessment test
for executive decision-making in an unconstrained situation allowing initiative and
improvisation. Significant deficits were observed in the performance scores achieved in
increasing concentrations of either volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or carbon dioxide,
while keeping other factors constant. The highest impurity levels reached are not uncommon
in some classroom or office environments.
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