On a cellular level, changes in aging include neural and glial cell death. As brain cell loss continues, this eventually results in reduced brain weight and brain volume by 7 to 8%. However, even more noticeable then the decrease in the number of cells is the loss of synaptic connections, especially in the frontal cortical regions. This results in the deterioration of many cognitive processes such as learning, problem solving, and memory.
While aging is not a cause of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, these disorders are common in the elderly.
