El lenguaje en el envejecimiento: procesos de recuperación léxica

In the last few years, interest in understanding the nature of language in aging has grown. This interest concerns how this domain changes with age. Furthermore, because of its complexity and interdependence with other cognitive processes, language provides a framework to develop general theories on aging and to examine the neurobiological substrates in relation to functional impairment and cognitive preservation. Although linguistic processes seem not to be impaired as a result of age, age-related changes do affect language. However, not all linguistic processes are affected equally. Aging causes a marked deterioration in language production versus a relative preservation of comprehension or an increase in vocabulary. The aim of this study was to review age-related changes in brain structure and function, as well as the resulting cognitive decline, with particular focus on the effect that these changes might have on language, especially on the processes of lexical retrieval. The role of social variables, such as education and socioeconomic status are also considered. Deficits in lexical access related to neurological disorders such as mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease are also discussed.