How Memory Changes With Age: Improving Memory Understanding Age Related Memory Loss

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

How memory changes with age

For many people, memory loss becomes noticeable after about age 50. But one of the myths surrounding the term "age-related memory loss" is that all memories slip with the passing years. In fact, while some information may become harder to recall, other memories will remain as accessible as ever.

In particular, there is truth in the old saying that "you never forget how to ride a bicycle." Procedural memory — by which you remember processes and skills such as how to ride a bicycle, serve a tennis ball, or accomplish routine tasks — does not fade with age. In fact, it's so resilient that it remains intact even in people with early- to mid-stage Alzheimer's.

On the other hand, the idea that "you never forget a face" may be less true. Some research shows that older people's recall of images such as faces is comparable to that of young people's. But other studies suggest a significant decline in the ability of older people to remember new images. In one study, adults of different ages were asked to look at 18 detailed colored pictures; three days later, they were shown several of these pictures as well as others, and asked which ones they'd seen before. Between 60% and 70% of older participants' memories were inaccurate, compared with just 25%–35% of younger people's memories.

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Last updated:	January 23, 2007