Brain and BehaviorBrain Development |
What impact does brain aging have on mental functioning? |
The reduction in brain volume and density definitely has an impact on the aging adult’s cognitive functions. These changes correspond with decreased processing speed, working memory, and psychomotor speed, and a reduced ability to commit new information to memory. However, many critical cognitive functions remain intact well into late life. Recognition memory, verbal skills, conceptual abilities, and general IQ stay stable for a long time despite decreases in speed and raw processing power.