Normal Neurocognitive Aging

Abstract

Aging in the absence of neurodegenerative disease is frequently accompanied by deficits in memory and other cognitive capacities. Although relatively modest in severity, these changes diminish the quality of life and pose a significant challenge to independent living. Substantial effort has been directed toward understanding both the basis of decline and the mechanisms that support successful outcomes. Key advances include the recognition that cognitive aging can occur in the absence of dramatic, diffusely distributed neuron death, and that the preservation of normal cognition can reflect active adaptations to aging, not simply the perpetuation of youthful function. Frequently examined via static snapshots acquired under resting conditions, increasing emphasis has focused on plasticity properties, aimed at determining the effects of aging on dynamic, experience-dependent dimensions of brain and behavioral function. Here we review the current status of basic research, predominantly in animal models, addressing these and related issues in the study of normal neurocognitive aging. The overall aim is to draw attention to the critical translational challenge of enabling optimally healthy cognitive outcomes.

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