Memory

Memory complaints such as 'senior moments' are common as we grow older. These complaints mostly result from normal aging changes, but less commonly may be due to dementia. Understanding the memory processes involved in normal aging and dementia will provide valuable insights into identifying, treating, and eventually preventing dementias.

The Memory Project investigates age-related changes in learning and memory. Participants in this study return at 12 month intervals to perform tasks that range from the very simple to the complex.

These tests include memory for number sequences, words, sentences, and stories. Other tasks may include visual and auditory problem solving. We examine how performance on these tasks relate to normal aging and diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and other dementing illnesses. We also relate the performance on laboratory measures to performance of day-to-day activities.