The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Older adults have been reported to have increased susceptibility to the adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as fatal outcomes, cognitive decline, and changes in physical and/or mental health. However, few studies have examined neuropsychological changes by comparing measurements b...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33513-4 |
| _version_ | 1797841082337198080 |
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| author | Martina Amanzio Giuseppina Elena Cipriani Massimo Bartoli Nicola Canessa Francesca Borghesi Alice Chirico Pietro Cipresso |
| author_facet | Martina Amanzio Giuseppina Elena Cipriani Massimo Bartoli Nicola Canessa Francesca Borghesi Alice Chirico Pietro Cipresso |
| author_sort | Martina Amanzio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Older adults have been reported to have increased susceptibility to the adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as fatal outcomes, cognitive decline, and changes in physical and/or mental health. However, few studies have examined neuropsychological changes by comparing measurements before and during the pandemic in healthy older people. In addition, no longitudinal studies have examined whether older adults may have responded positively to the pandemic. We examined these issues through a 2-year neuropsychological study before and during the pandemic period. Results showed that scores before and during the pandemic were the same in memory and attention, whereas global cognitive, executive, and language functions improved. Participants also showed no longitudinal changes in depression, hypomania, and disinhibition, while apathy and, to a lesser extent, anxiety increased significantly. To examine possible signs of pandemic-related emotional (dys)regulation, subjects were shown images at follow-up that recalled the most dramatic lockdown phase while heart rate variability was recorded. Higher apathy was predicted by poorer global cognitive performance, increased anxiety, and emotional dysregulation as measured by a higher ratio of low-to-high frequency heart rate variability. Thus, preserved global cognition appears to play a protective role against the effects of pandemic-related anxiety and emotional dysregulation on apathy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:25:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ba4036908b54450ab659c27b7325910 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:25:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ba4036908b54450ab659c27b73259102023-04-23T11:16:02ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-04-0113111110.1038/s41598-023-33513-4The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemicMartina Amanzio0Giuseppina Elena Cipriani1Massimo Bartoli2Nicola Canessa3Francesca Borghesi4Alice Chirico5Pietro Cipresso6Department of Psychology, University of TurinDepartment of Psychology, University of TurinDepartment of Psychology, University of TurinICoN Center, Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSSDepartment of Psychology, University of TurinDepartment of Psychology, Research Center in Communication Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreDepartment of Psychology, University of TurinAbstract Older adults have been reported to have increased susceptibility to the adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as fatal outcomes, cognitive decline, and changes in physical and/or mental health. However, few studies have examined neuropsychological changes by comparing measurements before and during the pandemic in healthy older people. In addition, no longitudinal studies have examined whether older adults may have responded positively to the pandemic. We examined these issues through a 2-year neuropsychological study before and during the pandemic period. Results showed that scores before and during the pandemic were the same in memory and attention, whereas global cognitive, executive, and language functions improved. Participants also showed no longitudinal changes in depression, hypomania, and disinhibition, while apathy and, to a lesser extent, anxiety increased significantly. To examine possible signs of pandemic-related emotional (dys)regulation, subjects were shown images at follow-up that recalled the most dramatic lockdown phase while heart rate variability was recorded. Higher apathy was predicted by poorer global cognitive performance, increased anxiety, and emotional dysregulation as measured by a higher ratio of low-to-high frequency heart rate variability. Thus, preserved global cognition appears to play a protective role against the effects of pandemic-related anxiety and emotional dysregulation on apathy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33513-4 |
| spellingShingle | Martina Amanzio Giuseppina Elena Cipriani Massimo Bartoli Nicola Canessa Francesca Borghesi Alice Chirico Pietro Cipresso The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemic Scientific Reports |
| title | The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | The neuropsychology of healthy aging: the positive context of the University of the Third Age during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | neuropsychology of healthy aging the positive context of the university of the third age during the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33513-4 |
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