Occupational complexity and leisure activities in Cognitive Ageing

FELDBERG ,CAROLINA ; ALLEGRI, RICARDO; STEFANI, DORINA

Current Psychoparmacology

Bentham Science

Lugar: Dubai; Año: 2014 vol. 3 p. 50 - 58

2211-5560

Human beings possess a considerable reserve capacity that allows them to benefit from exposure to highly enriched environments. The hypothesis of environmental complexity, state that those individuals involved in activities that require greater cognitive demands are considered to keep their abilities despite the passing of time.The aim of this review is to present an analysis of the results obtained from empirical research made between 1980 and 2014 in Europe and America, focusing on the impact that cognitive reserve has on older adults. This review will demonstrate how environmental complexity and the importance of engaging in recreational activities influence individuals´ lives and their cognitive healthy ageing. Bibliography was obtained systematically, through a defined searching strategy from several data bases. Eighty six scientific articles were selected in agreement to the appropriateness they keep with the objective of the present research. There is a vast scientific production that supports the hypothesis that a cognitively enriched lifestyle can influence the course of intellectual development in late adulthood and old age. Specifically, complexity of work and participation in leisure social activities may attenuate cognitive decline in late adulthood and old age, extend the ability to lead an independent life, and postpone the onset of neurodegenerative disorders. The review sheds some suggestions for future research in relation to the studied topics and for professional intervention in the area of gerontology.