Table S8. Age-related changes in memory and cognition

FUNCTION	DESCRIPTION	IMPACT OF AGE
Working memory	Active memory of what is presently perceived and thought about. Negligible age differences for simple procedures.	Fewer discrete information bits can be processed in a given time. Recall decays faster. Information overload is overwhelming.
Prospective memory	Remembering to do something in the future (e.g. at a particular time; after an elapsed time; or in response to an event.)	Much greater age declines for recalling future time-based tasks (take pill after 4 hours) than for event-based tasks (when buzzer sounds, turn off the oven.)
Semantic memory	Long-term repository of world knowledge (vocabulary, rules of language, concepts, history, culture, art, music, etc.)	No deficit with age. The recognized expert is often an older person. Temporary blocks in retrieval (“tip of the tongue” experiences) increase with age, but information repository and organization is intact.
Procedural memory	Knowledge about how to do things. Some knowledge is virtually automatic (steering a car, shifting gears.) Some relates to explicit but well-practiced routines (following a recipe; using a word processor.)	Automatic behaviors remain largely intact. Previously well–learned procedures are harder to inhibit in a new context (e.g. when faced with inconsistent on/off positions.) Older people can learn new skills (e.g. using a spreadsheet) but require more time to do so.
Attention	The capacity to focus on and process information.	Takes longer to orient attention from one thing to another. Less able to inhibit irrelevant information. Speed and multi-tasking (e.g. looking for street signs while driving) are a challenge.
Spacial cognition	Using external visual cues to mentally orient in three-dimensions (using a map to traverse a physical space)	Mentally transforming spacial information, developing sequences, becomes more difficult with age.
Language comprehension	Interpreting verbal and written information and drawing inferences	Subtlety, irony, and unfamiliar context inhibit drawing inferences.