Lifespan is increasing as a result of improved medical treatments and living conditions in countries around the world. This symposium will consider our understanding of changes that occur in the aging brain and body from a mechanistic and translational or treatment perspective. Alzheimer’s disease, age-associated learning impairments, caloric restriction, and exercise will be discussed. Finally, there are important societal impacts of rapidly aging populations that can be exemplified by documented changes that have been described using China, Spain, and the United States as case studies. The development of better treatments for impairments of brain and bodily functions associated with aging will only exacerbate these societal changes in fascinating and unexpected ways.