The ageing brain: normal and abnormal memory.

With advancing age, the majority of individuals experience declines in their ability to learn and remember. An examination of brain structure and function in healthy older persons across the age range indicates that there are substantial changes in the brain that appear to be related to alterations in memory. The nature of the cognitive and neurobiological alterations associated with age-related change is substantially different from that seen in the early stages of a dementing illness, such as Alzheimer's disease. These differences have implications for potential intervention strategies.