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Normal aging and memory
Our ability to remember and to recall our past is what links us to our families, our friends, and our communities. As we age, subtle changes in memory occur. Simple forgetfulness (the "missing keys") and delay or slowing in recalling names, dates, and events can be part of the normal process of aging. Most normal changes in memory and thinking are of little importance. Not every memory problem becomes dementia, and not every cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. But when memory loss prevents us from performing daily tasks and our accustomed roles in life, it becomes a health concern that needs further evaluation by healthcare professionals.
Memory has various forms that might be affected differently by aging. As we age, we maintain remote memory, procedural memory (performing tasks), and semantic recall (general knowledge). However, our ability to learn something new and recall it declines.
Other changes can also occur with normal aging:
Language comprehension (understanding the rules of language) is preserved as we age, as are vocabulary and one's understanding of syntax--the way in which words are put together. But some modest decline is seen in our ability to dredge up words and in verbal fluency--one's ability to "get the words out."
While one's vocabulary remains unchanged as one ages, the speed with which one processes information gradually slows. For instance, one's ability to solve problems can decline.
In normal aging, so-called executive functions (like planning or abstracting) remain normal for everyday tasks but are slowed when one multitasks or is faced with novel tasks.
A slowing of the speed of cognitive processing and reaction time ("hitting the buzzer") occurs with aging.
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