[Age-related memory disorder in basic medical care. Some conceptual and epidemiological considerations]

Of all the age-related changes, those associated with the nervous system are of primordial importance and, although there are of course exceptions, brain deterioration is very widespread in the elderly.

In both normal and pathological aging, on many occasions the first cognitive dysfunction to appear and the most affected is memory. Age-related memory disorder (ARMD) is a clinical state that is characterised by loss of memory in people aged 50 or over with no other explainable causation and which can be quite common because of its being linked to the normal aging process. Care of these patients involves high economic costs for the family and for society. Although the behavioural defects associated with ARMD are mild, compared to those found in dementias, they are disturbing and difficult for many middle-aged and elderly adults who perform intellectual activities. Yet, the memory disorder observed in the elderly is not always benign, as it can progress towards dementia and they may be two different entities.

Early detection of memory disorder is important, since it is a common early sign of dementia syndromes. Its relatively straightforward diagnosis means that it can be used as an effective tool in the hands of general practitioners for the monitoring and treatment of the elderly in their communities.