MEMORY-SYSTEMS IN NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL AGING

Normal memory depends on a number of interdependent systems whose spec ialized contributions are dissociable at both cognitive and neurobiolo gical levels of analysis. Guided by this multiple systems view of memo ry, this review provides a selective survey of recent studies on cogni tive and neurobiological aging. Taken together, the results suggest th at memory decline in human aging partly reflects a compromise of execu tive memory processes supported by frontal lobe regions of the brain, combined with a deterioration of explicit memory capacities supported by the hippocampal system. Defining how deficits in multiple memory sy stems interact to account for cognitive aging remains a significant ch allenge.