The Life Extension Foundation has evaluated thousands of published studies showing that brain aging can be controlled, at least in part. Some of these studies demonstrate a preventive effect, whereas others show a benefit in reversing the cognitive impairment caused by normal aging or by a specific disease of aging, such as stroke. Younger people, or parents who are concerned about possible cognitive deficits in their children, should consult the Attention-Deficit Disorder protocol. Forms Age-associated neurological impairment can take a variety of forms, including memory loss, senility, and dementia. Dementia, the most serious form of age-associated mental impairment, is often a slow, gradual process that may take months or even years to become noticeable.
Symptoms vary depending on which areas of the brain are affected.
It is important to distinguish normal, age- associated mental impairment from conditions such as dementia that signal a disease process. Not all memory difficulties or cognitive complaints indicate the presence of Alzheimer's disease or any mental disorder. It is also common for older people and those around them to notice memory lapses and to be more concerned about them than younger people, when in fact those lapses may not be any different from those of a younger person who misplaces her keys. At the same time, serious cognitive difficulties should not be dismissed as unavoidable consequences of aging. A helpful guideline is that many people with serious mental impairment do not recognize or will not admit that they have a problem, while it is obvious to those around them.