The neuropsychology of aging

Summary Luria's clinical neuropsychological approach and analysis of frontal lobe syndromes are applied to the study of aging. Brain damage produces both functional deficits and positive signs. The functional deficits seen in association with the aging process resemble those of patients with frontal system pathology. In the present study, performance of normal aging subjects is examined qualitatively for the positive signs associated with damage to frontal structures, namely perseveration and segmentation. Significant positive correlation is found between increasing prevalence of these frontal features and increasing age. Significant sex differences are also found, with males exhibiting more of these frontal features than females.