List of Cognitive Changes in the Elderly as They Age

Getting older is a journey, and parts of it can be scary. Just like our joints, our brains change with age. Cognitive decline may immediately illicit thoughts of dementia, but some changes are simply part of the natural aging process. 

Together, we’ll discuss some of the cognitive shifts that happen as we age. We’ll also talk about what causes those shifts to happen, and what you can do to protect your brain health now and keep your mind sharp as you age. 

What Causes Cognitive Changes in Older Adults

People don’t suddenly start forgetting appointments and misplacing their car keys when they turn 50. There are scientific reasons that cause these changes to happen. Understanding them can help you rule out what’s normal and what’s not. 

• Natural brain aging. As we age, some parts of the brain begin to shrink. This can lead to a reduction in “processing time,” which may cause a person to feel like they aren’t as quick or sharp as they used to be.
  
• Side effects from medication.  Some medicines may cause cognitive changes in the elderly.
  
• Lifestyle factors. Leading a sedentary lifestyle, not eating a balanced diet, and not properly managing stress can lead to cognitive decline.
  
• Changes in neurotransmitters.  With age, the brain produces less of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine.
  
• Reduction in blood flow to the brain.  The narrowing of blood vessels that lead to the brain (due to the buildup of cholesterol) can cause a decrease in blood flow.
  
• Oxidative stress and inflammation. Cells in the brain are susceptible to oxidative stress just like all cells in the body. This can lead to changes in cognitive function.
  
• Preexisting health conditions.  Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, stroke, and other medical conditions can change cognitive ability.
  
• Sleep issues.  Not getting enough sleep and not getting enough quality sleep can lead to changes in brain activity.
  
• Depression. Over time, depression can lead to negative cognitive changes.

We may not be able to stop the hands of time, but understanding what’s happening inside our brains can help us stay a step ahead of age-related cognitive changes. 

Cognitive Changes in the Elderly

Now that we understand what can cause cognitive changes, let’s take a look at the types of cognitive changes elderly adults may experience as they age. While many of these changes are subtle, they can be very frustrating for the person experiencing them. 

1. Slower Processing Speed

As previously mentioned, the brain simply slows down with age. A person’s ability to quickly recall information, perform mental tasks (like simple math problems or problem solving), and multitask becomes harder. Over time, this progression can lead to communication problems and affect a person’s ability to work. 

2. Forgetfulness

Everyone forgets something from time to time. As we age, we may find ourselves forgetting names, places, or memories that we could once recall in an instant. Occasionally, losing your keys may turn into never seeming to know where they are. Not being able to recall a well-known friend or loved one’s name may be frustrating and embarrassing. 

3. Inability To Find Words

A very common cognitive change that occurs with age is the inability to find the words you need. You may find yourself referring to cups as “thingamajigs” or become easily frustrated when you simply cannot recall the word you need to say what you’d like to say. Not having access to your full vocabulary can make some people become withdrawn, which can eventually lead to isolation. 

4. Trouble Retaining Short-Term Memory

“Why did I come into this room?” The inability to remember things in the short term is another (annoying) cognitive change that occurs as we age. 

People who experience this change may feel the need to write everything down so they don’t forget it. The ability to remember a person’s name, even a few moments after meeting several new people at a party, may be incredibly difficult. 

5. Reduced Attention Span

Our ability to focus and maintain our attention declines with age. It may be harder to focus attention on your job or a conversation. Background noise or attempts to multitask may make it even more difficult. You may appear aloof or uninterested.

6. Trouble With Problem Solving

Word problems seemed challenging in grade school, but now they may feel impossible. Even assembling a piece of furniture or trying to plan a trip can feel overwhelming, and you may realize you’ve forgotten a key piece of information. 

7. Less Flexibility

With age, mental flexibility decreases. This means you are more likely to have more problems switching between tasks, or pivoting when one plan does not work out as predicted. The aging brain finds it more frustrating to try a new method of completing a task, which can lead to a person feeling irritable.

8. Becoming Easily Distracted

It happens in an instant. Your chain of thought is disrupted by another thought, something in your peripheral vision, or a commercial on television. Becoming sidetracked ties into not being able to focus like you once could. It’s not necessarily a matter of less focus, but rather more focus on the stimuli around you. 

9. Changes in Executive Function

As we age, our ability to perform high-level brain tasks, like planning or decision making, can decline. You might notice this as a gradual shift from being confident in your decisions to second-guessing yourself or wanting a second set of eyes to review your work. 

10. Improved Abilities

Not every change is negative. With age comes wisdom. Vocabularies expand and emotional intelligence improves. While you may not consider these assets as valuable, they truly can only be experienced by brains that have lived longer and experienced more. You may be processing slower, but your wisdom and life experiences are deeper.

Many of these changes can be a nuisance, but they are usually manageable. Balancing expectations with the fact that your emotional intelligence and insight are sharper can help you accept the aging process as it affects your brain. 

Normal vs. Not Normal

If you’re over 40 and experiencing some (if not all) of the changes listed above, it is likely a normal part of the aging process. Even though it is frustrating, most of these changes are not cause for concern. Occasional forgetfulness, memory lapses, and not being able to find the words you need are all part of the aging package and not cause for concern. 

If you experience the following symptoms, it could be a red flag that you need to see your healthcare provider. 

• Getting lost in a familiar place
• General confusion that happens frequently
• Personality changes
• Consistent memory lapses
• Difficulty with daily tasks
• Repeating the same stories or asking the same questions 
• Regularly misplacing objects and not being able to retrace your steps

Becoming aware of these red flags doesn’t mean you should panic if you forget a birthday. Instead, look for patterns. If you notice something that occurs frequently, talk to your healthcare provider. 

Supporting Cognitive Health as You Age

Changes in cognition may sound like gloom and doom, but the good news is that there is plenty you can do to stay mentally sharp and reduce your risk of experiencing these changes. 

1. Stay Active

The benefits of regular physical exercise can’t be overstated. In addition to helping you maintain weight and keeping your heart healthy, exercise increases blood flow to the brain and supports neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself and form new neural connections. 

2. Eat a Balanced Diet

The more whole foods you consume, the better chance you have of avoiding dietary deficiencies and ensuring your body (and brain) have the nutrients they need to thrive. Avoiding excess sugar and processed foods can benefit your brain as well as your body. 

3. Keep Your Brain Sharp

Actively engaging in brain-stimulating activity keeps you sharp. Puzzles, games, and books all provide an opportunity for you to keep your brain active. Learning a new skill or a new language is also a great way to continue learning and improve mental focus. 

4. Stay Socially Engaged

It is not uncommon for elderly individuals to become isolated and withdrawn. Social withdrawal may happen because they find it harder to communicate due to hearing loss or the inability to think as quickly as others, or it could be because some of their closest friends have passed away. Finding and maintaining new relationships is essential to staying mentally sharp. 

5. Try a Brain-Boosting Supplement

If you’re checking all the boxes of exercise and diet, and doing your best to make good lifestyle choices (like limiting alcohol and not smoking), you can boost your brain power by taking a brain-supportive supplement like fatty15. 

Fatty15 is the first (and only) C15:0 science-backed supplement that is linked to healthy aging and cellular resilience. It’s also a proven way to help reverse Cellular Fragility Syndrome, a condition that occurs when a person’s C15:0 levels are too low. 

Cellular Fragility Syndrome is associated with accelerated aging, cognitive decline, and an increased risk of developing chronic metabolic, heart, and liver conditions. Fatty15 reverses Cellular Fragility Syndrome and cellular aging, giving you the ability to fight back against some age-related changes. 

Understanding Fatty15

Fatty15 is a once-per-day supplement that contains the sustainable, vegan-friendly version of pentadecanoic acid, or C15:0 for short. This fatty acid was recently discovered by a team of doctors and scientists from the US Navy studying healthy aging and longevity in bottlenose dolphins. 

Dolphins with higher levels of C15:0 in their diets had a reduced risk of age-related illness compared to populations with lower circulating levels of this fatty acid. These scientists took their research further, and after 10 years of additional studies, confirmed that the same health benefits found in dolphins were also available to humans. 

How Does C15:0 Affect Cognitive Health?

This latest Office of Naval Research-funded study explored fatty15’s potential to directly benefit brain health using an independently run, third-party panel that screened for neuroprotective molecules. 

As shared in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, C15:0 had two dose-dependent activities that support cognitive health:

• Fatty15 inhibits fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH).  To better understand what this means, let's start with endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are “happy” molecules made by our bodies that naturally balance healthy immune responses in our brain and support our cognitive health.
  

Unfortunately, as we get older, an enzyme called FAAH rapidly breaks down endocannabinoids, resulting in age-related declines in cognitive function. By inhibiting FAAH, however, fatty15 can support healthy levels of our oh-so-wonderful happy molecules, not just to protect our brain health, but also to support healthy sleep, better joint comfort, and calmer moods. Yes, please.

• Fatty15 inhibits monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). To better understand what this means, let's start with dopamine. Dopamine is a key messenger in our brain that supports healthy memory and mood, resulting in improved cognitive function. As we get older, however, an enzyme called MAO-B increasingly breaks down dopamine.

Here’s the good news: by inhibiting MAO-B, fatty15 can help to maintain healthy dopamine levels in the brain, which, in addition to protecting brain health, can also support calm moods and better sleep. Further, as described by Knoll and Ruehl et al., MAO-B inhibitors have also been shown to extend the lifespan of both rats and dogs.

Due to the many anti-aging benefits of MAO-B inhibitors (aka fatty15), these molecules have been proposed as a means to slow biological aging and protect against age-related cognitive decline. Well, that’s pretty exciting.

These newly discovered activities of fatty15 are consistent with prior human studies showing that people with higher C15:0 levels have better overall cognitive performance scores, including better memory and better mood. 

FAQs

What are examples of cognitive changes?

Changes in cognition include loss of mental sharpness, forgetfulness, and slower processing. A person may also forget names or places and have trouble with short-term memory.

Which cognitive change is common and considered normal for older adults?

Many cognitive changes are normal for older adults. Red flags include getting lost in familiar places and patterns of forgetfulness or confusion. 

What is a common cognitive condition related to aging?

Dementia and mild cognitive impairment are common cognitive conditions related to aging. 

What’s Worth Remembering

Your brain may change with age, but you are still in control of your story. Staying active, managing your health, and adding fatty15 to your diet can help you stay mentally sharp and retain your edge. It’s entirely possible to stay mentally agile even in your golden years. 

Sources:

Normal Cognitive Aging | PMC

Cognitive impairment in depression: recent advances and novel treatments | PMC

Physical Exercise Enhances Neuroplasticity and Delays Alzheimer’s Disease | PMC

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports

A review of odd-chain fatty acid metabolism and the role of pentadecanoic Acid (c15:0) and heptadecanoic Acid (c17:0) in health and disease | PubMed

Effect of an Asian-adapted Mediterranean diet and pentadecanoic acid on fatty liver disease: the TANGO randomized controlled trial | ScienceDirect

Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0), an Essential Fatty Acid, Shares Clinically Relevant Cell-Based Activities with Leading Longevity-Enhancing Compounds