A Review of Theory of Mind in Aging in Clinical Situations

Year 2023, , 94 - 103, 30.12.2023

Ayten Ekinci

https://doi.org/10.46414/yasad.1329891

Abstract

Mechanisms that enable older adults to lead active social lives have been regarded as promising ways to promote health and well-being into old age. Theory of Mind (ToM) is one of the most important social cognitive abilities to maintain efficient and compatible social functioning. While lighting the changes in ToM in healthy aging, it is emphasized that research should also evaluate the changes that occur with pathological aging. Understanding the studies that analyze ToM functionality is crucial as these impairments worsen patients’ quality of life and pose a risk that may increase patients’ social isolation. Impaired ToM which represents a fundamental feature of most clinical conditions in older patients, has been described in various neurological and psychiatric disorders. In addition, extensive research has been conducted on patients with dementia and schizophrenia. There are mechanisms that mediate the role of effective processes in the ability to make sense of the behavior of others and to plan socially appropriate actions. In this review, based on different mechanisms deepening research on ToM related to neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases in older adults has been evaluated. As the current situation on the subject is still obscure, this review may offer the opportunity to explore limitations and be a starting point for future research. In addition, aim to increase awareness by drawing attention to the crucial role of including ToM function scales in neuropsychological protocols for detecting pathological cases or evaluating early-stage symptoms and following their progression.

Keywords

aging, theory of mind, social cognition, pathology

Yaşlanmada Zihin Kuramı’nın Klinik Durumlarda Gözden Geçirilmesi

Abstract

Yaşlı yetişkinlerin aktif sosyal yaşamı sürdürmesine imkan veren mekanizmalar, ileri yaşlara kadar sağlığı ve iyi oluşu teşvik etmek için umut verici bir yol olarak görülmektedir. Zihin Kuramı (ZK) etkili ve uyumlu sosyal işleyişin devamı için en önemli sosyal bilişsel becerilerden biridir. Sağlıklı yaşlanmada ZK’deki değişiklikler aydınlatılırken araştırmaların patolojik yaşlanma ile ortaya çıkan değişiklikleri de değerlendirmesi ve ulaşılan sonuçların göz önünde bulundurulmasının gerekliliği üzerinde durulmaktadır. ZK işlevselliğini analiz eden araştırmaların anlaşılması, klinik durumlarda sık görülen bir bulgu olan bu bozulmaların hastaların yaşam kalitesini kötüleştirdiği ve sosyal izolasyonunu artırabilecek risk oluşturduğu için önemlidir. Yaşlı yetişkinlerde çoğu klinik durumun temel bir özelliğini temsil eden bozulmuş ZK çeşitli nörolojik ve psikiyatrik hastalıklarda tanımlanmış, en kapsamlı araştırmalar demans ve şizofreni için yapılmıştır. Diğerlerinin davranışlarını anlamlandırma ve sosyal olarak uygun eylemleri planlama becerisinde etkili süreçlerin rolüne aracılık eden mekanizmalar vardır. Bu derleme çalışmasında, farklı mekanizmalar temelinde yaşlı yetişkinlerde nörodejeneratif ve psikiyatrik hastalıklarla ilişkili derinleşen ZK araştırmaları ele alınmıştır. Konuyla ilgili mevcut durum hala netleşmediği için bu derleme sınırlılıkları keşfetme olanağı sunabilir ve gelecekteki araştırmalar için bir başlangıç noktası olabilir. Ayrıca patolojik olguları saptamaya veya erken evre belirtilerini değerlendirmeye ve ilerleyişi takibe yönelik nöropsikolojik protokollerde ZK işlev ölçeklerinin de yer almasının kilit rolüne dikkat çekerek farkındalığı artırmak amaçlanmıştır.

Keywords

yaşlanma, zihin kuramı, sosyal biliş, pataloji

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