Cognitive decline before the age of 50 can be detected with sensitive cognitive measures

Our findings suggest subtle executive dysfunction before the age of 50, together with slowing in processing speed later on in the transition to old age. This profile could be explained by changes in the frontal lobe and its connections, starting at middle-age. These findings, together with future research, may be important for the diagnosis, prognosis, and prevention of pathological aging at a very early level.