What is cognitive decline?

Cognitive decline — a gradual weakening of understanding, thinking and remembering— is a natural and expected part of aging. This has been confirmed by numerous studies on memory, response time, attentiveness, the ability to speak and to understand what others are saying, and even IQ. We all face a gradual loss in mental sharpness as we age. This type of decline is not the same as Alzheimer’s disease, which is a pathological condition.