Preprint · Jul 24, 2026
Stress Reactivity in Young Adulthood (Ages 20-40), Cognitive Reserve, and Cognitive Trajectory in Aging: An Integrative Review
By Ferreira BK, Santos MPCP, Dobuchak MCCB et al.
This integrative review examines the scientific evidence on the association between stress reactivity in young adulthood (ages 20-40), cognitive reserve, and cognitive trajectory in aging. It is guided by the theoretical frameworks of allostatic load (McEwen), cognitive reserve (Stern), and stress reactivity (Lazarus; Nolen-Hoeksema), and follows the methodological framework proposed by Whittemore and Knafl (2005). Searches were conducted on 22 July 2026 across six databases (PubMed, SciELO, PePSIC, LILACS, CAPES Periodicos, and Google Scholar), covering publications from 2020 to 2026, and yielded 139 records after deduplication. At the time of this registration the searches are complete and title/abstract screening has not yet begun; this registration is therefore retrospective with respect to the search phase and prospective with respect to screening, extraction, and synthesis. Expected outcomes include a thematic synthesis of convergences, divergences, and gaps in the literature.