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Review
. 2024 Apr:56:101768.
doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101768. Epub 2023 Nov 29.

New directions for studying the aging social-cognitive brain

Natalie C Ebner  1 , Marilyn Horta  2 , Dalia El-Shafie  3
Affiliations
Review

New directions for studying the aging social-cognitive brain

Natalie C Ebner et al. Curr Opin Psychol. 2024 Apr.

Abstract

The study of social cognition has extended across the lifespan with a recent special focus on the impacts of aging on the social-cognitive brain. This review summarizes current knowledge on social perception, theory of mind, empathy, and social behavior from a social-cognitive neuroscience of aging perspective and identifies new directions for studying the aging social-cognitive brain. These new directions highlight the need for (i) standardized operationalization and analysis of social-cognitive constructs; (ii) use of naturalistic paradigms to enhance ecological validity of social-cognitive measures; (iii) application of repeated assessments via single-N designs for robust delineation of social-cognitive processes in the aging brain; (iv) increased representation of vulnerable aging populations in social-cognitive brain research to enhance diversity, promote generalizability, and allow for cross-population comparisons.

Keywords: Aging; Alzheimer's disease; Neuroimaging; Social cognition.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Promising new research directions for advancing the social-cognitive neuroscience of aging.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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