Cognitive and biological age: current issues and new perspectives in aging research

Abstract

Background. Research in the field of healthy longevity is increasing due to the popularization of a healthy lifestyle among the population. At the same time there is a growing interest in the problem of diagnosing cognitive and physiological functioning of a person in the process of normal aging. Many scientists agree that chronological, biological, and cognitive ages often do not correspond to each other and there are many reasons for that. 

Objective. The purpose of the study was to systematize and analyze the data concerning the latest trends in determining the cognitive and biological age of a person, the possibility of correlating these parameters, to identify the main structural changes in the brain during the normal aging, to illuminate the possibilities of improving the cognitive functioning of a person. 

Results. The analysis has revealed that biological and cognitive ages are complex indicators, which are influenced by a huge number of factors, both environmental and genetic. There are different ways for measuring biological and cognitive ages. Yet there is still no single method or approach. For measuring biological age, they often resort to the methods based on the complex indices, epigenetic clocks, on the telomere division and DNA methylation. For measuring cognitive age, the most recognized are those based on the dynamics of cognitive functions, which are highly plastic and can be adjusted. 

Conclusion. Due to the increasing longevity of the population, the detailed study of the cognitive age parameters and neuroprotection methods will become one of the key research trends in the field of aging in the coming years. 

Funding. The study was implemented in the framework of the Basic Research Program at the National Research University “Higher School of Economics” (HSE University) in 2022 and as a part of the research project of the Department of Biology and Biotechnology (HSE University) “Fundamental research of topical issues of cognitive neuroscience and legal foundations of biology, medicine, and bioethics”.

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