Both are dependent upon the genetic and environmental structure that has surrounded us throughout our lives: what we have done, what experiences we have had to face, how and where we have lived, etc.
Cognitive deterioration is caused by the changes that occur in a healthy brain as it ages. The factors that most influence the type and rate of deterioration are: general health, hereditary factors, level of physical activity, educational level and / or cultural and socio-economic factors as well as our family.
Some of the main deficits observed in old age affect information processing, learning and information retrieval (memory), problem solving and response speed.
It has been shown that deterioration slows and deficits are milder if an individual has lived in a stimulating environment, and he/she continues stimulating his/her skills and abilities through practice and cognitive stimulation activities.