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Abstract
Research suggests that psychopathological disorders can have specific impacts on cognitive functioning (e.g., slower processing speed in those with depression); however, there is less information about the impact of anxiety on the aging brain. In addition to providing an overview of the development of anxiety (i.e., epidemiology, prevalence, risk factors), this chapter will review the available literature on state and trait anxiety, including the neuroanatomical correlates. Authors will then present a collective overview of cognition and the aging brain, with emphasis on the specific impact of anxiety on this process. For example, many studies have found that higher levels of state anxiety have been associated with impaired learning and poor memory performance in older adults, while trait anxiety has been positively correlated with deficits in attention; however, little research has concluded how these systemically relate. As such, particular focus will be placed on the implications associated with onset and duration of anxiety symptomatology and its overall effect on the risk of developing cognitive decline, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Additionally, current treatment modalities for cognitive training and physical health will be reviewed and implemented.
Introduction
Despite the prevalence of anxiety in older adults, little is known about the psychopathological features as it occurs in the geriatric population. Researchers have come to acknowledge that anxiety consists of two separable components: state anxiety, which refers to a temporary emotional reaction; and trait anxiety, which refers to a relatively stable personality disposition. In addition, studies have shown that each of these can exacerbate cognitive decline, as seen in the aging brain. This understanding is central to the practice of healthy aging, and becomes essential in treating both neurocognitive decline and comorbid psychological disorders. Over the course of this chapter, we will define both anxiety and cognitive functioning as they relate to the geriatric population, including the continuum of neurocognitive decline in the course of normal aging and age-related conditions, including mild cognitive disorder and dementia. We will then delve into the structural and functional changes of the aging brain, and explain their role in mood regulation and cognitive functioning. This will be followed with the differentiation of state and trait anxiety, which includes how cognition and overall functioning in the aging population are affected....