Longitudinal studies of older seniors (over 80 years) IntroduçãoAo longo dos últimos anos, a população brasileira vem passando por um processo de transição demográfica, caracterizado pelo aumento da população idosa. O envelhecimento da população brasileira é um fenômeno crescente que necessita ser mais estudado, a fim de assegurar uma melhor qualidade de vida para essa população.O processo de envelhecimento pode ser acompanhado pelo declínio das capacidades tanto físicas, como cognitivas dos idosos, de acordo com suas características de vida. Schaie 1 , em um estudo longitudinal da população geral acima de sessenta anos, observou que nenhum dos participantes do estudo evidenciou um declínio generalizado em todas as habilidades cognitivas examinadas. Constatou-se que o declínio desencadeado pelo envelhecimento incidiu, especialmente, nas tarefas que exigiam rapidez, atenção, concentração e raciocínio indutivo.Para Gorman & Campbell 2 , o déficit cognitivo em idosos consiste em lentidão leve, generalizada e perda de precisão, quando estes são comparados com pessoas mais jovens, e pode ser medido por testes objetivos que relacionem situações do cotidiano. Um nível educacional elevado mostrou-se, segundo esses autores, preventivo para o embotamento do estado mental durante o envelhecimento normal.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dual-tasking on cognitive performance and gait parameters in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) without dementia. The impact of cognitive task complexity on cognition and walking was also examined. Eighteen patients with PD (ages 53-88, 10 women; Hoehn and Yahr stage I-II) and 18 older adults (ages 61-84; 10 women) completed two neuropsychological measures of executive function/attention (the Stroop Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test). Cognitive performance and gait parameters related to functional mobility of stride were measured under single (cognitive task only) and dual-task (cognitive task during walking) conditions with different levels of difficulty and different types of stimuli. In addition, dual-task cognitive costs were calculated. Although cognitive performance showed no significant difference between controls and PD patients during single or dual-tasking conditions, only the patients had a decrease in cognitive performance during walking. Gait parameters of patients differed significantly from controls at single and dual-task conditions, indicating that patients gave priority to gait while cognitive performance suffered. Dual-task cognitive costs of patients increased with task complexity, reaching significantly higher values then controls in the arithmetic task, which was correlated with scores on executive function/attention (Stroop Color-Word Page). Baseline motor functioning and task executive/attentional load affect the performance of cognitive tasks of PD patients while walking. These findings provide insight into the functional strategies used by PD patients in the initial phases of the disease to manage dual-task interference.

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In this study, minor depression has been significantly associated with lower life satisfaction and worse indexes of life quality. The results supported the current concept that minor depression is prevalent in later life, especially among the oldest-old. Subjects with minor depression had worse self-reported opinions about memory and sleep patterns, but when these variables were objectively measured, no meaningful differences could be determined by the research team. Female gender and the concurring presence of generalized anxiety disorder were both significantly associated with the presence of minor depression diagnosis.

The aim of this study was to analyze the strategies used by elderly people to cope with functional difficulties, and to investigate a possible association between such strategies and variables like depressive symptoms, gender, schooling, marital status, and self-perceived health. 103 institutionalized elderly individuals participated in the study. They required assistance for at least one activity of daily living. The study was cross-sectional and used the following indicators: Personal Data Chart, Activities of Daily Living Scale, Modified Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Mini-Mental Examination, Coping Strategies Inventory, and Geriatric Depression Scale. The most widely used coping strategies in the sample were self-control and problem solving. Significant associations were found between schooling and depression. The findings suggest that assessing coping strategies for stressful events can assist analysis of the situation and appropriate adaptation of the chosen strategies, so as to foster changes within the medical context.