The efficacy of various neurotransmitter systems declines with advancing age. Of particular interest, various pre- and post-synaptic components of the frontal and striatal dopaminergic systems show substantial negative age-related differences across the adult life span. Furthermore, anatomical and functional changes in the frontal and hippocampal regions are also hallmarks of brain aging. This talk will selectively highlight findings from recent neuroimaging, pharmacological and genetic studies about aging of the frontal-hippocampal-striatal circuitry and the implications for memory, spatial learning, and sequential decision-making in old age.
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