Lifestyle Enrichment in Later Life and Its Association With Dementia Risk

Finding the Words: How Does the Aging Brain Process Language? A Focused Review of Brain Connectivity and Compensatory Pathways

As people age, there is a natural decline in cognitive functioning and brain structure. However, the relationship between brain function and cognition in older adults is neither straightforward nor uniform. Instead, it is complex, influenced by multiple factors, and can vary considerably from one person to another. Reserve, compensation, and maintenance mechanisms may help explain why some older adults can maintain high levels of performance while others struggle. These mechanisms are often studied concerning memory and executive functions that are particularly sensitive to the effects of aging. However, language abilities can also be affected by age, with changes in production fluency. The impact of brain changes on language abilities needs to be further investigated to understand the dynamics and patterns of aging, especially successful aging. We previously modeled several compensatory profiles of language production and lexical access/retrieval in aging within the Lexical Access and Retrieval in Aging (LARA) model. In the present paper, we propose an extended version of the LARA model, called LARA-Connectivity (LARA-C), incorporating recent evidence on brain connectivity. Finally, we discuss factors that may influence the strategies implemented with aging. The LARA-C model can serve as a framework to understand individual performance and open avenues for possible personalized interventions.

Dental decision-making for persons with dementia: A systematic narrative review

Dental decision-making represents the establishment of a common understanding between the dental professional and the recipient of the intervention, which determines oral healthcare and dental treatment policies. Dental decision-making for persons with dementia can be challenging, and there have been no systematic reviews on this topic. Therefore, this systematic narrative review aimed to identify the current state of dental decision-making in persons with dementia. Literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Google Scholar databases. Through the process of research selection, 7 articles with a high risk of bias were included in this study. This review clarified that there is limited information on the dental decision-making processes for persons with dementia. In conclusion, although this may be difficult due to different medical and socioeconomic conditions, the dilemma between the need to establish evidence for dental decision-making and medical ethics that prioritize a patient-centered position should be discussed globally in the future.