Major changes in the psyche of seniors. An expert explains what happens in the brain in old age

The aging process affects both the human body and the psyche. With age, changes occur in the brain that affect the behavior, emotions, and perception of the world by a person. As a result, seniors can notice such tendencies as withdrawal from social life and aversion to novelties. These can have a negative impact on the functioning of the body.

Brain aging can be recognized by changes in response to the environment. As a specialist in psychiatry and psychogeriatrics, Prof. Tadeusz Parnowski, said in an interview with PAP, at this stage of life "impulsiveness, explosiveness, impatience, the desire to get one's way appear". In addition, there are "problems with thinking and memory". However, this does not mean the development of the disease - the expert emphasized. It is simply a natural phenomenon related to the aging of the body. He also added that although our personality does not change in old age, its features usually "sharpen".

One of the psychological phenomena that increases with age is neophobia , or fear of novelty. It can affect many areas of life. There is a reluctance to new experiences, previously unknown devices, and changes in the daily rhythm practiced for years. Another aspect of this phenomenon is eating.

Food neophobia may be associated with, for example, a weakened sense of smell and taste, which affects the perception of the food consumed. This may be accompanied by difficulties in eating resulting from various ailments, such as problems with swallowing and chewing.

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An important role is also played by getting used to dishes and drinks that have been familiar for decades. This results in closing ourselves off to new culinary experiences, which can negatively affect health.

This phenomenon was described in the journal "BMC Geriatrics" by specialists from several Japanese universities and the National Institute of Public Health. Examining a group of 238 people with an average age of over 76, they determined that seniors at risk of malnutrition were more likely to have food neophobia and a worsening of the condition of the oral cavity.

The isolation of the elderly is associated, among other things, with limited social interactions resulting from the death of loved ones, retirement or financial difficulties that prevent participation in social life and tourism. The increasingly frequent emigration of family members to other cities or countries further deepens this phenomenon.

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Scientists from the University of Chicago published the results of their observations on the isolation of seniors in the journal "Evidence Based Nursing". As it turned out, older people are at higher risk of hypertension, heart and neurodegenerative diseases, decreased immunity, deterioration of cognitive functions, and even premature death.

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Isolation also increases the risk of mental disorders. The Twarze Depresji Foundation reports that the PolSenior2 study, conducted on 6,000 people aged 60-106, shows that 26% of those surveyed have symptoms of depression. The elderly are a part of society that is particularly vulnerable to developing this disease. This is due to, among other things, low mood resulting from chronic diseases such as diabetes, thyroid disorders and chronic physical pain.