Envelhecimento cognitivo e funções executivas: o papel particular da inibição

Abstract

One of the most widely studied hypotheses for cognitive ageing assumes that age-related effects can be explained by a less efficient operation of the executive functions and particularly inhibition. According to this hypothesis executive functions are more susceptible to ageing or are the first to be deteriorated with ageing. The present study examined the neuropsychological profile of young adults and older adults in order to understand whether there is a general deficit in executive functions or any changes in cognition (attention, memory and language abilities) that could contribute to a better understanding of the ageing process. Older adults (N=20; M=63.45, SD=6.21 years old) and young adults (N=20; M=18.95, SD=1.79 years old) participated in the present study. These age groups were matched by gender and estimated intelligence quotient. Participants were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery (including attention, memory, language and executive function measures). Our results indicated that older adults, comparatively to young adults, present: (i) cognitive slowing; (ii) preserved retention and recognition abilities; (iii) preserved naming and comprehension abilities; (iv) preserved selective and divided attention (iv) preserved abstraction and planning; (v) inhibition deficits. Older adults have a greater number of inaccurate responses and require more time to respond accurately than younger adults. However, in some cases, they have a similar or even increased performance than young adults in the neuropsychology tests included in our battery (e.g., the Tower test). This suggest that even some executive functions can be resistant to ageing effects.