Systematic Review of Pulmonary Function and Cognition in Aging

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Aging impacts physical and cognitive abilities, with research exploring individual differences in these changes.
• Synthesizing findings on aging-related dynamics is challenging due to varied methodologies.
• This review focuses on longitudinal associations between pulmonary function and cognitive performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review longitudinal research on the relationship between pulmonary function and cognitive performance in aging.
• To identify gaps in the existing literature regarding the longitudinal dynamics of this association.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
• Longitudinal studies investigating pulmonary function and cognitive performance were included.
• Studies were assessed for methodological quality and risk of bias.

Main Results:

• Few studies (four) thoroughly examined longitudinal associations with three or more measurement occasions.
• Additional studies with fewer measurement occasions were identified, but showed methodological limitations.
• Numerous issues related to methodological quality and risk of bias were noted across the reviewed studies.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant lack of comprehensive longitudinal research on the link between pulmonary function and cognition.
• Future research requires robust longitudinal designs, inclusion of key covariates, and transparent reporting of methods and analyses.
• Standardized outcome measures and analytical approaches are recommended for future studies to enhance replicability.