Cognitive Frailty and Aging: Clinical Characteristics, Pathophysiological Mechanisms, and Potential Prevention...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Frailty is increasingly recognized as a multidomain condition, extending beyond physical decline to include cognitive impairment and psychosocial factors.
• Mild cognitive impairment, a pre-dementia stage, is characterized by deficiencies in memory or other cognitive domains.
• Cognitive frailty (CF) is proposed as a construct combining physical frailty with non-dementia cognitive decline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and define the concept of cognitive frailty (CF).
• To highlight the need for early detection strategies for CF.
• To discuss the pathophysiological underpinnings and potential interventions for CF.

Main Methods:

• The abstract synthesizes existing literature and conceptual frameworks to define CF.
• It reviews pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to CF.
• It discusses current non-pharmacological and multidomain intervention strategies.

Main Results:

• The estimated prevalence of CF ranges widely from 10.3% to 42.8%.
• Pathophysiological components include stress response dysregulation, metabolic imbalance, cardiovascular issues, mitochondrial dysfunction, and arterial stiffness.
• Cellular changes involve the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive frailty represents a critical stage preceding overt dementia, necessitating timely identification.
• Multidomain interventions, particularly cognitive and physical training, show promise for prevention and treatment.
• Clinicians acknowledge CF as a valid concept requiring evidence-based management strategies.