The publications analysis confirms necessity of studying both status of cognitive capacities of researchers and factors associated with cognitive aging.
The purpose of the study: To assess cognitive functions and quality of life of researchers of state institutions.
Materials and methods: The single-stage section of state institutions was applied to arrange sampling of 53 researchers (28 females and 25 males) aged from 22 to 73 years. The respondents filled questionnaires "Cognitive screening", "Age is not a drawback", "Depression Geriatric Scale", "Russian validated version of QOL questionnaire SF-36".
Results: As in general population, among researchers certain decrease in quality of life with age was established. The respondents aged from 50 to 59 years demonstrated lower indices on scales of physical functioning (p = 0.04), body pain (p = 0.03) and role functioning due to physical condition (p = 0.006). At that, indices of vital activity and social functioning tended to improvement with age. The cognitive impairments were absent in 96.23% of researchers aged from 22 to 73 years and they were present in 1.89% of respondents. In 47.17% of respondents aged from 22 to 67 years, no senile asthenia syndrome was observed. The preasthenia was registered in 39.62% of respondents aged from 24 to 69 years. The syndrome of senile asthenia was established in 11.32% of respondents aged 25-73 years. The depression was absent in 83.02% of respondents aged from 22 to 69 years and it was probably present in 7.55% of respondents aged from 25 to 33 and 49 years.
Conclusion: According to data of complex screening self-testing, it is established that current state of researchers is characterized by availability of complex of problems related to health disorders, decreased cognitive functions, development of premature aging syndrome and presence of significant number of risk factors of health disorders due to high frequency and combination of these factors. The relationship between cognitive functions and quality of life of researchers is established, in particular, according to scales "Physical functioning", "General health", "Vitality", "Social functioning", "Mental health".
Keywords: asthenia; cognitive ability; depression; professional burnout; professional effectiveness; professional longevity; researcher.