There is currently a scientific debate over the question of the existence of profiles of cognitive decline in old age which would be independent of social, health, generational factors and psychometric artefacts. This essay is a critical literature review which comes to the conclusion that evidence from neurology and neuropsychology strongly suggests the existence of such profiles. In addition, it is shown that the currently dominant neuropsychological model of aging postulates a decline of executive and mnemonic functions as a direct result of deterioration of frontal and temporal brain systems with advancing age.
