A Penn Medicine blog post looks at the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on cognitive aging which was released last week.
Writer Lee-Ann Donegan says, “The subject of aging is something I’ve thought about a great deal this week, having just celebrated a milestone birthday. But the thing that gets me upset much more than my own aging, is the aging of my parents and older relatives. This week, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an independent organization that advises the government and the public on health decisions, published a report on a relatively new concept known as “cognitive aging.” ”
Ms. Donegan spoke with Jason Karlawish, MD, acting co-director of the Penn Memory Center, about the report.
“The report differentiates the processes of cognitive aging from those of neurodegeneration,” says Dr. Karlawish, one of 16 authors of the report, all of whom are national leaders in aging research and practice.
In addition to explaining cognitive aging, the report also provides actionable steps supported by research that people can take to maintain cognitive health as they age.
Read the IOM’s entire report, Cognitive Aging: Progress in Understanding and Opportunities for Action.