Cognitive and Behavioral Performance Factors in Atypical Aging

It is a truism that as we age there are a number of underlying physiological changes conspiring to alter our level of behavioral and cognitive function ing. Despite the inherent interrelatedness of these behavioral and cognitive changes, all too often the papers we read confine themselves to specific, isolated components of the developing process. Although exceptions nat urally exist, we believe that these exceptions should become rule. Although an integrated approach is important in all areas of adult devel opment, it is perhaps particularly germane in the study of atypical aging. Here, changes in overall functioning can occur in rapid succession, with the synchrony of decline between different subprocesses making it difficult to factor changes in one process from changes in another. For example, because changes in cognitive functioning co-occur with other dramatic changes in (motoric) response capacities, it is unclear how one can effec tively study changes in the ability to cognize independent of changes in the very mechanisms (ability to execute motor sequences) so often used to index cognitive performance.

Inhalt
I Cognitive Factors.- 1 Development of a Mathematical Model of Memory for Clinical Research Applications in Aging.- 2 Aging and Memory Disorders: A Neuropsychological Analysis.- II BehavioralPhysiological Factors.- 3 Neuromuscular Performance of the Aged.- 4 Electrophysiology and Aging: Slowing, Inhibition, and Aerobic Fitness.- III Toward an Integration of Cognitive and BehavioralPhysiological Factors.- 5 Physical Activity and Cognitive Changes with Aging.- 6 The Measurement of Individual Differences in Aging: The Distinction Between Usual and Successful Aging.- IV Discussion.- 7 Cognition, Motor Behavior, and the Assessment of Atypical Aging.- Author Index.