Normal Part Of Aging Research Articles

Variables Impacting Care-Seeking for Pelvic Floor Disorders Among African American Women

This study aimed to identify variables impacting care-seeking for pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) among (1) a general population of professional African American (AA) women and (2) professional AA women with prevalent PFD symptoms. A cross-sectional survey of women registered for the 37th National Assembly of the Links, Inc, a volunteer service organization of professional AA women, was conducted. Our de-identified questionnaire addressed several domains including PFD symptoms, history of PFD diagnoses, attitudes regarding PFDs, and help-seeking. We asked what respondents would do if they experienced PFD symptoms and defined our outcome as the response "I would not seek care." Barriers were covariates associated with not seeking care. Of 568 questionnaires distributed, 362 (64%) with complete data were returned; 6.4% (23/362) of respondents reported they "would not seek care" if experiencing a PFD symptom. On logistic regression, attitude that PFDs are a normal part of aging [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 5.56; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.46-21.23] and concerns about insurance (AOR, 3.80; 95% CI, 1.39-10.33) were barriers to care-seeking, adjusting for health status and embarrassment about discussing PFDs.Thirty percent (110/362) of women reported having current PFD symptoms. In this subset, only 26% had accessed care. On logistic regression, prolapse symptoms in the previous 3 months and age 65 years or older were negatively associated with not seeking care (ie, were predictors of care-seeking) (AOR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.02-0.67) and (AOR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.03-0.85), respectively, adjusting for pelvic floor distress inventory scores. Among educated and insured AA women, attitudes about aging and insurance complexity are barriers to care-seeking for PFDs. In women with current PFD symptoms, recent prolapse symptoms and age 65 years or older were predictors of care-seeking.

Clinician's Debate: Use of Psychotropic Medications in Those Living in Nursing Homes With a Focus on Those With Dementia

Clinician's Debate: Use of Psychotropic Medications in Those Living in Nursing Homes With a Focus on Those With Dementia

Cultural Perspectives on Understanding Dementia and Associated Caregiving

There are compelling reasons to examine cultural issues in dementia, including the understanding of dementia and impact on caregivers. Cultural beliefs may affect the explanations given by different groups as to the etiology of dementia, recognition of symptoms, and help seeking behaviors. For example folk beliefs about dementi, as compared to biomedical beliefs, may lead to the beliefs such as dementia is a normal part of aging, or a punishment from god, and therefore not amenable to any medical intervention.

Living with the ‘black dog’: depression in care homes

Depression is not a normal part of ageing, it affects old and young alike. Person-centred care is paramount when considering treatment and care delivery, as Thomas Beary explains

Caregivers in China: knowledge of mild cognitive impairment.

This study aimed to examine the experience and knowledge of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among Chinese family caregivers of individuals with MCI. The sample was recruited from memory clinics in Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan, China. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used. Thirteen family members of individuals diagnosed with MCI participated in the study. Data analysis revealed three themes: 1) initial recognition of cognitive decline; 2) experience of the diagnosis of MCI; 3) perception of cognitive decline as a normal part of aging. While family members recognized the serious consequences of memory loss (e.g. getting lost), they would typically not take their family members to see a doctor until something specific triggered their access to the medical care system. The Chinese traditional perception of dementia as part of normal aging may serve to lessen the stigma of individuals with MCI, while the term “laonian chidai” which literally translates to “stupid, demented elderly” may exacerbate the stigma associated with individuals with MCI. It is suggested that family members’ worries may be relieved by improving their access to accurate knowledge of the disease, community-based and institutional care services, and culturally appropriately words are needed for MCI.

2608 – Screening for depression in elderly urban population

Introduction žDepression is a treatable medical condition and one of the most frequent causes of emotional distress in older adults žUntreated depression can delay recovery or worsen the outcome of other medical illnesses via increased morbidity or mortality žDepression is NOT a part of normal aging. Objectives žTo determine the prevalence of depression among the elderly population žTo identify the risk factors with respect to depression in elderly. Material and methods žStudy design: Cross sectional study žStudy setting: Community based žSample size: 216 žStudy area: Southern part of urban Pune city žInclusion criteria: Age more than 60 yrs of age žStudy tool: Predesigned Questionnaire including WHO 5 Well being index and Mastering depression in Primary care version 2.2 was administered. Results The prevalence of ndepression was 21.2% in the geriatric population. Widowed stae, financial dependancy,living in nuclear family and medical illnesses were the major stressors. Conclusion The present study found that widowed state,retirement,medical illness and residing in a nuclear family system are strong predictors of depression in the elderly. Recommendation žSocial support programs for the elderly must be developed to ensure their well-being. Awareness about risk factors would help in designing appropriate strategies for prevention of depressive disorders in geriatric population.

Urinary Incontinence and Physician's Attitude

Urinary Incontinence and Physician's Attitude

Endocrinology of menopause

Menopause is a natural process that occurs in women's lives as part of normal aging. Many women go through the menopausal transition with few or no symptoms, while some have significant, or even disabling, symptoms. This manuscript reviews the physiologic processes and symptoms connected with menopause and the diseases associated with menopause, as well as how menopausal symptoms are managed.

Accelerating Cortical Thinning: Unique to Dementia or Universal in Aging?

Does accelerated cortical atrophy in aging, especially in areas vulnerable to early Alzheimer's disease (AD), unequivocally signify neurodegenerative disease or can it be part of normal aging? We addressed this in 3 ways. First, age trajectories of cortical thickness were delineated cross-sectionally (n = 1100) and longitudinally (n = 207). Second, effects of undetected AD on the age trajectories were simulated by mixing the sample with a sample of patients with very mild to moderate AD. Third, atrophy in AD-vulnerable regions was examined in older adults with very low probability of incipient AD based on 2-year neuropsychological stability, CSF Aβ(1-42) levels, and apolipoprotein ε4 negativity. Steady decline was seen in most regions, but accelerated cortical thinning in entorhinal cortex was observed across groups. Very low-risk older adults had longitudinal entorhinal atrophy rates similar to other healthy older adults, and this atrophy was predictive of memory change. While steady decline in cortical thickness is the norm in aging, acceleration in AD-prone regions does not uniquely signify neurodegenerative illness but can be part of healthy aging. The relationship between the entorhinal changes and changes in memory performance suggests that non-AD mechanisms in AD-prone areas may still be causative for cognitive reductions.

An estimate of the prevalence of dementia in Africa: A systematic analysis

BackgroundThe burden of non–communicable diseases is growing, particularly in developing countries. The greatest economic burden is due to dementia, the prevalence of which is rising with increasing longevity. In Africa, where the rate of increase of elderly persons is the fastest in the world, dementia is normally dismissed as a part of normal ageing. The lack of awareness means that many patients are suffering undiagnosed. This review aims to assess the information on the prevalence of dementia in Africa in order to estimate the current burden.MethodsA parallel search of Medline, EMBASE and Global Health limited to post–1980 found only 10 relevant studies. Data on prevalence and risk factors were extracted and analysed. We modelled the available information and used the UN population figures for Africa to determine the age–specific and overall burden of dementia.ResultsThe overall prevalence of dementia in adults older than 50 years in Africa was estimated to be about 2.4%, which translates to 2.76 million people living with a disease in 2010. About 2.10 millions of them live in Sub–Saharan Africa. Prevalence was the highest among females aged 80 and over (19.7%) and there was little variation between regions. Alzheimer disease was the most prevalent cause of dementia (57.1%) followed by vascular dementia (26.9%). The main risk factors were increasing age, female sex and cardiovascular disease.ConclusionsInformation on dementia prevalence in Africa is very limited. Further research will not only provide a more reliable estimate of prevalence, and consequently the burden of disease, but will also raise awareness of the problem. This is critical in promoting help–seeking behaviour and generating the political commitment to make dementia a public health priority in Africa.

Living with heart failure without realising: a qualitative patient study

Heart failure is an important problem in Swedish primary healthcare as in the U.K. In spite of that little is known about how people with heart failure experience support from primary healthcare. This paper investigates how people with heartfailure experience support in primary healthcare. Semi structured interviews were conducted with five men and five women, born 1922-1951. The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis in accordance with Graneheim and Lundman (2004). The participants experienced they had not received information about their diagnosis or about the cause of their condition. They had not been informed they had heart failure. Instead the participants believed their symptoms were caused by age, thus being part of normal ageing. They did not experience they needed care or support to cope with illness or disease. Instead their main needs for support in daily life concerned help with practical matters.There is a risk primary healthcare abandons people with heart failure meaning the patients are forced to develop strategies on their own in order to manage symptoms. When inadequately informed there is also a risk they make up their own explanations signifying possible difficulties to handle their health situation.

Using a Chinese Radio Station to Disseminate Dementia Knowledge to Chinese Americans

Although Chinese Americans are one of the fastest-growing minority groups in the country, they are not well represented in studies of dementia. Prior literature has highlighted that Asian Americans with dementia are particularly vulnerable to the stigma of chronic and severe mental illnesses.1 Previous research has also suggested that Chinese Americans are likely to underuse mental health services.2 There is a paucity of research on the knowledge of the Chinese-American general public about dementia, particularly in first-generation Chinese Americans. Using ethnic minority radio stations to disseminate medical information may be a viable option to decrease stigma against dementia of Chinese Americans because many may be primarily Chinese speaking with low levels of education. In the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, KMRB AM1430 is the only Cantonese station that broadcasts 24 hours a day. The program Rainbow Beneath the Sky broadcasts Monday through Friday from 7PM to 8PM. A psychiatrist fluent in Cantonese was asked to narrate the story of a Hong Kong Nobel Laureate, Charles Kao Kuen, who has had dementia. The program was aired on June 12, 2012, and the public was asked to call after the radio program to respond to a questionnaire. The survey consisted of three items about Chinese-Americans opinion about dementia. For each question, respondents were asked to answer yes or no in Chinese. Question 1 asked, “Is dementia a disease that affects the brain?” Question 2 asked, “Do all elderly adults develop dementia?” Question 3 asked, “Is dementia a mental illness?” The correct responses were yes, no, yes, respectively. Twenty-two Chinese Americans participated in the survey. The sample consisted of 73% (n = 18) women, 36% (n = 8) with a high school degree or better, 45% (n = 10) with family history of dementia, and 59% (n = 13) who had immigrated to the United States more than 20 before. Seventy-seven percent (n = 17) were aged 40 to 64, and 23% (n = 5) were aged 65 and older. One hundred percent (n = 22), 64% (n = 14), and 14% (n = 3) responded with the correct answers for Questions 1, 2, and 3, respectively. An ethnic radio program may be useful for Chinese Americans, especially for immigrants. Many of the respondents were primarily Chinese speaking, with low levels of education, so they were able to learn about mental health in their own language. As the survey identified, all Chinese Americans (100%) tend to view dementia as an illness that affects the brain. For example, one participant stated in Chinese, “Playing mah-jongg can eliminate dementia because it activates my brain!” but as Question 3 revealed, only 14% of Chinese Americans were able to conceptualize dementia as a mental disorder that can influence mood, thinking, and behavior. This is consistent with previous research that has showed that Asian Americans with dementia are particularly vulnerable to the stigma of chronic and severe mental illnesses.1 Thus, it is critically important to develop culturally appropriate programs and services to ensure that Chinese Americans receive medical and mental health services for dementia when appropriate. Forty-six percent of respondents believed that all elderly adults would have dementia. A previous study reported that, for Asian Americans, the aging mind and body as a machine is a culturally shaped metaphor that suggests the inevitability of deterioration.3 The stereotype of dementia as part of normal aging may further delay Chinese Americans in seeking proper diagnostic evaluation and treatment. It is necessary to use ethnic media outlets to build public awareness against such stigma, as well as to highlight that successful aging is achievable. In conclusion, from the program development perspective, we have the following recommendations to promote dementia awareness in ethnic minority: increase dementia information available in the Chinese language; raise public awareness through collaborating with media outlets, such as ethnic radio stations; present the medical background of dementia, and put a face on mental illness! Conflict of Interest: The editor in chief has reviewed the conflict of interest checklist provided by the author and has determined that the author has no financial or any other kind of personal conflicts with this paper. Author Contributions: BKP Woo: study concept and design, acquisition of participants and data, analysis and interpretation of data, and preparation of manuscript. Sponsor's Role: No sponsor.

Defining the Lived Experience of Older Adults With Voice Disorders

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gather rich thick descriptive data regarding the lived experiences of older adults seeking treatment for a voice disorder. Using qualitative methodologies, participants completed semi-structured interviews with trained investigators to detail their thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and experiences of living with a voice disorder. Using a process of horizontalization, themes were identified that described the experiences of older adults with voice disorders. Research was conducted at four clinical voice centers in Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Ohio. Data were analyzed in the Laryngeal and Speech Dynamics Lab at the University of Kentucky. A total of 28 adults (aged 65-90 years) with voice disorders were recruited for this study. Aging adults demonstrated a strong urge to communicate; however, they tended to describe their voice quality in negative terms and were emotionally impacted by these associations. They admitted to withdrawing from some activity or social event because their voice did not meet their expectations or voice needs; thought their voice quality was part of normal aging; and had resigned to accept their current voice.

Dopamine Modulates Episodic Memory Persistence in Old Age

Activation of the hippocampus is required to encode memories for new events (or episodes). Observations from animal studies suggest that, for these memories to persist beyond 4-6 h, a release of dopamine generated by strong hippocampal activation is needed. This predicts that dopaminergic enhancement should improve human episodic memory persistence also for events encoded with weak hippocampal activation. Here, using pharmacological functional MRI (fMRI) in an elderly population in which there is a loss of dopamine neurons as part of normal aging, we show this very effect. The dopamine precursor levodopa led to a dose-dependent (inverted U-shape) persistent episodic memory benefit for images of scenes when tested after 6 h, independent of whether encoding-related hippocampal fMRI activity was weak or strong (U-shaped dose-response relationship). This lasting improvement even for weakly encoded events supports a role for dopamine in human episodic memory consolidation, albeit operating within a narrow dose range.

The grapes of war

Persistent pain is not a normal part of aging. Nevertheless, many older patients have long-lasting, more or less medically unexplained pain symptoms and, consequently, are often severely disabled, incur high health care costs, and have high comorbidity rates. Moreover, the effects of early traumatization, especially due to wars, and even below the level of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are apparent. However, the developmental and neurobiological underpinnings of somatoform pain disorder, especially in pain-prone elderly patients, and its correlations with a history of war traumatization even decades after the incident remain unclear. Furthermore, a management strategy for this disorder tailored to older people and their special needs is lacking. Adequate therapeutic regimens such as adjusted psychotherapeutic procedures for elderly patients can only be promoted through a better understanding of the neurobiological and biographical underpinnings of this still controversial disorder.

Cultural differences in depression-related stigma in late-life: a comparison between the USA, Russia, and South Korea

Depression is a common and treatable illness in late-life. However, many do not seek treatment and may suffer from the stigma of the illness, which may vary across cultures. The aim of this study was to compare attitudes about depression in primary care practices in South Korea, Russia, and the USA. A cross-sectional study was undertaken using a self-administered questionnaire and PHQ-9 diagnostic survey with 1,094 patients aged 60-93 years who attended a primary care clinic in Korea, Russia, or the USA. The mean age of participants was 71 years, with 61% being female. US patients were older and had higher education levels. Russian participants were more likely to be widowed and had lower self-rated health. The majority of participants agreed that depression is a kind of disease (Korea 77%, Russia 61%, USA 79%). Only 6% of US patients believed depression means a person is weak, compared to 78% (Korea) and 61% (Russia). Fewer US patients endorsed depression as a normal part of aging (29% vs. Korea at 42% and Russia at 54%). Among participants in the USA, age correlated negatively with endorsement of a medical model of depression (p = <0.001). Though there was wide variation between countries in attitudes about depression, the majority of each endorsed items reflected a medical model of depression. Korean and Russian participants endorsed the view of depression as a personal weakness more than participants in the USA. Demographic correlates of negative attitudes about depression were moderate to weak.

With Shaking Hands: Aging with Parkinson's Disease in America's Heartland

Reviewed by: With Shaking Hands: Aging with Parkinson's Disease in America's Heartland Fahmida Hussain, BDS, DMD, MBE, FAGD With Shaking Hands: Aging with Parkinson's Disease in America's Heartland. Samantha Solimeo. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2009. 224 pp. Recent advancement in the field of medicine has led to overall longevity of the U.S. population. It is expected that with longevity there will be a gradual increase in the incidence of senile diseases. Parkinson's Disease (PD) is one of the most common forms of progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the elderly population and sharply worsens people's quality of life, giving the health care workforce increasing responsibility to develop a concerted to effort to combat its challenges. The book under review, by Samantha Solimeo, a Health Research Science Specialist at the Center for Research in the Implementation of Innovative Strategies in Practice at the Iowa City VA Medical Center, has at its heart an ethnographic account of the experiences of eight adults in rural Iowa living with PD and their families, and also includes a primer on medical anthropology and one on PD itself. All 55 interview participants are individually introduced to the readers, increasing the vividness of the accounts presented. Parkinson's Disease is a motor system disorder, resulting from the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. Characterized by gradual onset in the form of subtly aberrant movements, PD lacks treatment that completely cures, halts, or retards its disabling motor and cognitive impairment. Medications are often prescribed for therapeutic action on the motor deficits in the hopes of better control of symptoms for those with this chronic condition. Solimeo writes well, and with affecting empathy, about life with PD. The book includes quantitative information as well as the ethnographic research findings. According to the National Parkinson's Foundation, nearly one million people in the U.S. currently suffer from PD, with an additional 50,000 to 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Parkinson's disease normally affects people over age 50. Solimeo does a great job in highlighting the age specific differences in the perception of the disease. Summarizing, she notes that people in their 60s feel that PD accelerated their biological and social aging process, making them feel old before their time, while the PD patients in their 70s view PD as a mediator of aging. People stricken with PD in their 80s focus on ways that it interferes with daily routine. Early definitive diagnosis is crucial for "longer disease-related life expectancy" (p. 51) in the case of PD. However, proper diagnosis of PD is extremely challenging since the symptoms of PD closely resemble those of normal aging process. Many people remain misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for about a year and half from the onset of PD. While family and friends may notice subtle abnormalities over a period of time, such abnormalities are often mistakenly seen as part of normal aging. Solimeo explains that the current heath care system increases the likelihood that the [End Page 1438] PD-afflicted population will be neglected and underserved. Her extensive ethnographic inquiry into the daily lives of eight rural Iowans portrays real emotions and hard facts. General practitioners often are seen to not be knowledgeable about PD symptoms, leading to delayed diagnosis. Patients also hesitate to "waste the doctors' time" and do not ask for referral to a specialist. Furthermore, often the physicians do not spend enough time to explain the treatment options to facilitate informed decision. The four different ways the physicians break the news to the PD patients whose stories are recounted in the book demonstrate "well-intentioned and unintended offense" (p. 56). Patients report feeling like guinea pigs due to the often unavoidable practice of continuous switching of medications through lengthy trial-and-error process for better control of the disease. Nonetheless, this helpless group of people often signs up for clinical trials for experimental treatment modalities. They also settle for the treating neurologists who are often "busy," have little time to spare and rush them through the exam room with "their brusque and off-putting communication styles" (p. 57). Increased out-of-pocket expense for the medications, especially due to the...

Specific Subjective Memory Complaints in Older Persons May Indicate Poor Cognitive Function

To examine the association between the type and number of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and performance on objective cognitive tests. Cross-sectional. Nurses' Health Study. Sixteen thousand nine hundred sixty-four women (mean age 74) who provided information on SMCs. Telephone cognitive assessments and seven questions regarding SMCs were administered. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of less than 31 on the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) and below the 10th percentile on other cognitive measures. To assess associations with SMCs, multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for cognitive impairment and multivariable linear regression to calculate mean differences in cognitive test scores, adjusting for age and depressive symptoms. Some SMCs, such as trouble following a group conversation or finding one's way around familiar streets, were more highly associated than others with odds of cognitive impairment. The complaint of forgetting things from one second to the next, generally considered part of normal aging, was not associated with cognitive impairment. In addition, there were strong, linear trends of increasingly worse scores on cognitive tests with increasing numbers of memory complaints. For each additional SMC endorsed, the odds of cognitive impairment increased approximately 20% when each SMC was weighted equally. SMCs are associated with objective cognitive status and may be considered by primary care physicians in determining whether follow-up is warranted.

Amyloid imaging

Molecular neuroimaging techniques such as PET are proving valuable in the early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).With the advent of new therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing β-amyloid (Aβ) burden in the brain to potentially prevent or delay functional and irreversible cognitive loss, there is increased interest in developing agents that allow assessment of Aβ burden in vivo. Amyloid imaging with PET has proven useful in the discrimination of dementias, showing significantly higher Aβ burden in the gray matter of AD patients when compared with healthy controls or patients with frontotemporal dementia. ApoE ε4 carriers, independent of diagnosis or disease severity, present with higher Aβ burden than non-ε4 carriers. Amyloid imaging matches histopathological reports in aging and dementia, reflecting the true regional density of Aβ plaques in cortical areas. It also appears to be more sensitive than FDG-PET for the diagnosis of AD. In healthy older people there is an increasing prevalence of amyloid positive scans with age, rising from 20% in the seventh decade to 60% in the ninth decade. Of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 40-60% present with detectable cortical Aβ deposition. In both groups, Aβ deposition is associated with a higher risk for cognitive decline and dementia due to AD. These observations suggest that Aβ deposition is not part of normal aging, supporting the hypothesis that it occurs well before the onset of symptoms and is likely to represent preclinical AD in asymptomatic persons and prodromal AD in MCI. Further longitudinal observations, coupled with different disease-specific tracers and biomarkers, are required to confirm this hypothesis and further elucidate the precise role of Aβ deposition in the course of AD.

From cell to cognition: can changes in telomere length indicate patterns of cognitive aging?

The review by Zhu et al. [1] appearing in Clinical Science earlier this year is one of several excellent recent review papers on telomeres and aging that, taken together, point to the importance of bridging the gap between research on cellular and cognitive aging. Researchers who study trends in aging across societies have shown that some factors can affect longevity. For instance, Fraser and Shavlik [2] have shown that optimal choices regarding diet, physical exercise, cigarette smoking, body weight and hormone replacement therapy in women had a significant influence on longevity in Californian Adventists. They followed up 34192 California Adventists from 1976 to 1988 and found higher life expectancy in this group compared with other white Californians by 7.28 years in men and 4.42 years in women. Other large cohort studies conducted in different countries have also reported that life expectancy can be extended by up to 18 years when associated, for instance, with physical exercise and refraining from smoking [3]. These clearly substantial gains in life expectancy are probably worthwhile only if the extended life span also matches the brain span. This is becoming a prominent issue as the population worldwide rapidly ages.The issue of how to study the impact of biological age on non-pathological cognitive aging is tightly related to the question of when cognitive decline begins. Theories on cognitive decline typically assume that deterioration occurs at older age. However, not all researchers agree with this assumption, presenting evidence that indicates that declines in speed processing, reasoning, memory, executive function, language and so on actually begin in our 20s and 30s (for example, see [4]). Although cognitive decline is part of normal aging, individual differences in how we age may reveal how genetics, general health, diet, lifestyle and other factors affect cognitive aging.When it comes to the role of biological age in cognitive aging, one particularly interesting question is whether telomere shortening is a marker for cognitive aging. Telomeres and their associated proteins have in particular been linked with cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases, but apart from a broad conclusion that telomere shortening is a marker of cellular aging and its association with the risk of Alzheimer's disease, chronic stress exposure and depression, little is known about how exactly changes in telomere length affect cognition and emotion in the course of aging. Studies that have been conducted on this topic so far typically report that telomere shortening is a distal correlate of cognitive decline [5]. However, some researchers have reported different findings, indicating that telomere length is not a reliable predictor of decline or mortality (for example, see [6]). These controversial findings on the impact of telomere length on cognitive aging clearly indicate a need for studying this issue in more detail. For instance, one could investigate whether different patterns of cognitive aging are associated with different patterns of telomere shortening. Ideally, examining the relationship between telomere length and cognition should be based on measuring telomeres in neural tissue. Although telomere length in leucocytes may act as a surrogate marker for telomere length in other tissues, it may not be applicable to all cell types. However, Takubo et al. [7] measured telomere lengths in five organs (cerebral cortex, myocardium, liver, renal cortex and spleen) in a large number of autopsy cases and found “a robust correlation of telomere length among these organs in any given individual”. Their data also suggest a specific telomere length in each person. Given these findings, it seems appropriate to investigate the relationship between the peripheral blood leucocyte telomere length and cognitive functions.If the hypothesis on the impact of telomere shortening on cognitive performance holds, we can expect to find different patterns of non-pathological cognitive decline associated with differences in telomere shortening. Finding out exactly what types of telomere length–cognitive decline patterns exist across different age groups would represent an important step in bridging the gap between the research on cellular and cognitive aging.