Researchers at Maastricht University have found that older people who experience cognitive decline tend to show signs of anxiety disorder. Results of the study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by extremely intense feelings of worry and fear. Anxiety is a worry about future events while fear is a reaction to what is happening now. Also, often a healthy person does not experience such emotions in certain situations. These feelings can also cause physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and affect a person’s health, including cognitive health.
The study’s authors suggested that anxiety disorders may be associated with decreased mental function in the elderly. To test their theory, the researchers analyzed data from more than 7,500 participants collected between 2010 and 2017. All participants were evaluated for symptoms of anxiety disorders as well as cognitive abilities.
As it turns out, anxiety disorders in young people increase the risk of cognitive decline in old age. Also, participants with severe symptoms were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment and had, on average, a lower speed of cognitive processing.
Until now, scientists do not know the answer to the question of what causes such a relationship. They will try to answer in future studies.