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Journals / Kıbrıs Türk Psikiyatri ve Psikoloji Dergisi / 2025 / Cilt: 7 Sayı: 4

Age-Related Declines in Social Cognition: Neuropsychological Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

Yaşla İlişkili Sosyal Bilişsel Gerilemeler Nöropsikolojik Mekanizmalar ve Klinik Yansımalar

Özlem Önder(YAKIN DOĞU ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-7133-9808
Pages
430–437
Publication Date
2025-12-29
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The review also identifies key areas for future research, including interventions to preserve social cognitive functions in aging populations.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:As the global shift toward an aging population accelerates, the study of cognitive changes linked to aging, particularly in social cognition, has become a key focus in neuroscience.
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Key Findings & Data:This exploration centers on the neurological basis of social cognition decline in older adults, with emphasis on empathy, emotion recognition, Theory of Mind, and social decision-making.
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Conclusion & Impact:The review also identifies key areas for future research, including interventions to preserve social cognitive functions in aging populations.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:sosyal biliş · yaşlanma · empati

Abstract

As the global shift toward an aging population accelerates, the study of cognitive changes linked to aging, particularly in social cognition, has become a key focus in neuroscience. This exploration centers on the neurological basis of social cognition decline in older adults, with emphasis on empathy, emotion recognition, Theory of Mind, and social decision-making. Age-related changes in brain areas such as the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, insula, and temporoparietal junction lead to deficits in these functions. Empathy, both affective and cognitive, diminishes, while the ability to recognize negative emotions like fear and sadness declines. Theory of Mind, essential for understanding social interactions, shows a marked decline, and older adults experience impairments in social decision-making, particularly in risk assessment and moral judgments, due to prefrontal and orbitofrontal degeneration. This review synthesizes current neurological findings on how aging affects social cognition and suggests clinical implications. Integrating social cognition assessments into neuro-psychological evaluations may provide a more comprehensive view of cognitive decline in the elderly. The review also identifies key areas for future research, including interventions to preserve social cognitive functions in aging populations.

Özet

Dünyanın yaşlanan nüfusa doğru değişmi hızlandıkça, yaşlanmayla ilişkili bilişsel değişimlerin, özellikle sosyal biliş alanındaki değişimlerin incelenmesi nörobilimin temel odak noktalarından biri haline gelmiştir. Bu inceleme, yaşlı yetişkinlerde sosyal bilişsel gerilemenin nörolojik temellerine odaklanmakta, empati, duygu tanıma, Zihin Kuramı ve sosyal karar alma süreçlerine vurgu yapmaktadır. Prefrontal korteks, amigdala, insula ve temporoparietal bileşke gibi beyin bölgelerinde yaşa bağlı değişiklikler, bu işlevlerdeki eksikliklere yol açmaktadır. Hem duygusal hem de bilişsel empati azalırken, korku ve üzüntü gibi olumsuz duyguları tanıma yetisi de gerilemektedir. Sosyal etkileşimleri anlamak için gerekli olan Zihin Kuramı belirgin bir düşüş gösterirken, yaşlı yetişkinler risk değerlendirmesi ve ahlaki yargılarda, özellikle prefrontal ve orbitofrontal dejenerasyon nedeniyle sosyal karar alma süreçlerinde bozulmalar yaşamaktadır. Bu derleme, yaşlanmanın sosyal bilişi nasıl etkilediğine dair mevcut nöropsikolojik bulguları sentezlemekte ve klinik yansımaları önermektedir. Sosyal biliş değerlendirmelerinin nörolojik incelemelere entegre edilmesi, yaşlılardaki bilişsel gerilemeyi daha kapsamlı bir şekilde anlamaya yardımcı olabilir. Derleme aynı zamanda, yaşlanan popülasyonlarda sosyal bilişsel işlevleri korumaya yönelik müdahaleler gibi gelecekteki araştırmalar için anahtar alanları da belirlemektedir.

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Cite This Article

Önder, Ö. (2025). Age-Related Declines in Social Cognition: Neuropsychological Mechanisms and Clinical Implications. Kıbrıs Türk Psikiyatri ve Psikoloji Dergisi, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 4, 430–437. https://doi.org/10.35365/ctjpp.25.4.12

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