Vìsnik Mìžnarodnogo Ekonomìko-gumanìtarnogo Unìversitetu ìmenì Akademìka Stepana Dem'ânčuka Serìâ · Oct 14, 2026
Effect of cumulative stress on cognitive function in older adults under martial law in Ukraine
By Богдан ТВ, Gorobets T, Біла ОГ
The article is devoted to studying the destructive impact of chronic cumulative war-related stress on cognitive functioning in older adults in Ukraine. The scientific novelty of the study lies in a comparative analysis of the neurocognitive profiles of older respondents recorded during the relatively stable period of 2021 and the measures obtained in 2026—the fifth year of the full-scale war. It is theoretically substantiated that prolonged exposure to an active war zone, a constant threat to life, systematic sleep deprivation, heightened anxiety, and forced social isolation trigger a powerful mechanism of pathological allostatic load. This induces pronounced, prolonged dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and causes excess cortisol to exert neurotoxic effects on vulnerable brain structures, particularly the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. An accelerated decline in measures of short-term and working memory, a reduction in attention span, concentration, and flexibility of attentional shifting, slowing of information processing, and deterioration of executive functions in older adults over the five-year study period compared with the baseline age-specific norm of 2021 have been empirically proven and comprehensively measured. The important role of established cognitive reserve, a high level of education, intellectual activity, and psychosocial support is outlined as key buffering factors capable of effectively counteracting the destructive consequences of chronic distress and slowing the manifestations of premature neurodegenerative decline. The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the possibility of using the data obtained to develop, scientifically substantiate, and implement targeted adaptive programs for cognitive rehabilitation, neural support, stimulation of brain plasticity, and systematic psychological assistance for the older population during a prolonged military crisis.