Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
Review
Interdisciplinary View of Ageing and Cognition
Author(s): Josef Zihl*
Cognitive decline as part of mental ageing is typically assessed with standardized tests; below-average performance in
such tests is used as an indicator for pathological cognitive aging. In addition, morphological and functional changes
in the brain are used as parameters for age-related pathological decline in cognitive abilities. However, there is no
simple link between the trajectories of changes in cognition and morphological or functional changes in the brain.
Furthermore, below-average test performance does not necessarily mean a significant impairment in everyday
activities. It therefore appears crucial to record individual everyday cognitive requirements in functional terms. This
would also allow reliable assessment of the ecological validity of existing and insufficient cognitive skills.
Understanding and dealing with the phenomena and consequences of m.. View more»