What is cognitive decline?

Cognitive decline refers to challenges with memory, reasoning, spatial ability, and processing speed that gradually get worse over time. It’s often discussed in reference to older adults, though it may affect people of other ages in some cases as well. In some individuals, cognitive decline may occur faster than in others, and the causes can vary as well. 

Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive decline

Cognitive decline has been linked to a number of possible causes. In many cases, dementia is the cause. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, can lead to significant cognitive challenges, especially in the later stages of its progression. 

It’s also possible for illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure to cause some level of cognitive decline, or it may occur due to a traumatic brain injury or as a side effect of certain medications. If you’re experiencing signs of cognitive decline, it’s recommended that you meet with your doctor so they can evaluate you to determine potential underlying causes.

High or low blood pressure and other causes of mild cognitive impairment

Some people may experience mild cognitive impairment that can improve with treatment, as opposed to cognitive decline from a degenerative disease that may worsen over time. Possible causes of mild cognitive impairment—particularly in older adults—may include:

• Side effects of medications
• Infections
• Blood pressure that’s too high or too low
• Sleep disorders
• Altered levels of vitamins, hormones, or sugar
• Functional cognitive disorders

While addressing the root cause of a mild cognitive impairment is usually the first line of treatment, innovations for slowing or preventing cognitive decline may also be useful in these cases.

Innovations that may help with cognitive decline prevention

Researchers have been working on new ways to prevent or at least slow the progression of cognitive decline, which may be recommended in addition to practices like regular physical exercise, social interaction, nutritious meals, and management of diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure. Some examples so far include certain types of virtual brain games, slow-paced breathing, specific smartphone tools, and digital cognitive assessments. 

Virtual brain games

Certain types of virtual brain games may help slow cognitive decline in older adults. For example, one researcher, Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD, founder of a translational neuroscience center called Neuroscape, has created games that may help increase attention. The closed-loop games adapt to each player’s ability level, which means that as a player answers questions correctly, the games become more challenging. 

Neuroscape has also created the only FDA-approved video game-based treatment, called Neuroracer. Research suggests that Neuroracer may help enhance attention in older adults. In the future, Dr. Gazzaley hopes that the treatments Neuroscape creates will make it through clinical trials so that doctors can prescribe them or patients can obtain them over the counter to complement other treatments. These games may help with cognitive training and improve brain health and quality of life.  

Slow-paced breathing for cognitive decline prevention

Activity in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) tends to be higher in older adults. The sympathetic nervous system is related to the stress response, and greater SNS activity is thought to be related to risk of dementia. Some researchers believe that slow-paced breathing may help decrease the effects of higher SNS activity on the brain. This may be accomplished through biofeedback exercises that incorporate this method of breathing. 

According to one study, participants who practiced slow-paced breathing along with a metronome experienced less anxiety and depression than other participants. They also had lower levels of a small peptide called “amyloid beta” in their blood. Amyloid beta can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease by accumulating in the brain and forming amyloid bundles, which are what cause cognitive symptoms.