IMPACT OF CUMULATIVE STRESS ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS UNDER MARTIAL LAW IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article is devoted to studying the destructive impact of chronic cumulative war stress on the cognitive sphere of elderly people in Ukraine. The scientific novelty lies in conducting an in-depth comparative analysis of neurocognitive profiles of elderly respondents recorded during the relatively stable period of 2021 with indicators obtained in 2026 – in the fifth year of full-scale war. It is theoretically substantiated that prolonged presence in an active war zone, constant life threats, systematic sleep deprivation, increased anxiety, and forced social isolation trigger a powerful mechanism of pathological allostatic load. This causes pronounced long-term dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis and leads to neurotoxic effects of excess cortisol on vulnerable brain structures, particularly the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. It has been empirically proven and comprehensively measured that elderly individuals experienced an accelerated decline in short-term and working memory, a narrowing of attention span, concentration, and switching flexibility, a slowing of information processing speed, and significant deterioration of executive functions over the studied five-year period compared to the baseline age norm of 2021. The important role of the established cognitive reserve, high level of education, intellectual activity, and psychosocial support is outlined as key buffer factors capable of effectively offsetting the destructive consequences of chronic distress and slowing manifestations of premature neurodegenerative aging. The practical significance of the results lies in the development, scientific justification, and implementation of targeted adaptive programs for cognitive rehabilitation, neurosupport, brain plasticity stimulation, and systemic psychological assistance for the elderly population in conditions of a prolonged military crisis.