Neuropsychological testing for evaluation of brain aging

Abstract

The new construct of age-associated memory impairment, designed to describe age-related memory disorders, is grounded on the assumptions that neurobiological brain changes associated with age result in memory performance decline and that memory complaints are the subjective reflection of this decline. The first assumption, although poorly evidenced, seems to be accurate. In contrast, correlation between memory complaints and performance is rather questionable. Most findings favor a psychoaffective nature of the memory complaints more than a close relationship with memory performance. Age-associated memory disorders seem to be a complex syndrome which cannot be correctly understood using a single construct.