Differentiating Mild Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Changes of Normal Aging

Abstract

As people live longer, scientists are given greater opportunity to improve their knowledge of the structure and function of the aging brain. In the United States, the current life expectancy at birth is 76 years for men and 81 years for women, and approximately 13% of US citizens are 65 years and older. The US Census Bureau's projections estimate that about one in five citizens will be seniors by year 2030 and the oldest old (85 years and older) is the fastest-growing segment of the population. Given these statistics, there is a great need for clinical services and research focusing on normal and pathological cognitive aging. It is generally accepted that some degree of cognitive decline associated with aging is inevitable, with a great deal of variability as to when these changes begin. Assessment of mood/personality functioning is critical since subjective memory complaints tend to be more strongly correlated with negative affect than with objective memory performance. This chapter provides a brief description on differentiating mild cognitive impairment and cognitive changes of normal aging. The cognitive decline that accompanies normal cognitive aging involves decreased efficiency in information processing, reaction time, working memory capacity, short-term memory, executive control, and verbal fluency. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)