97

The difficulty of orienting oneself and finding one's way within a new or familiar environment, in other words to “navigate,” has been described in normal aging and is also a common symptom for many neurological pathologies, whether they are progressive or not. However, navigation remains relatively little studied and evaluated in clinical practice, despite its importance for the autonomy of people. In recent decades, there has been a theoretical-clinical evolution from a “static” conception of spatial orientation to a “dynamic” conception of navigation. This conceptual evolution poses several challenges for cognitive psychology and neuropsychology, including the consideration of the characteristics of the environment in cognitive models, on the one hand, and the design of other assessment tools, on the other hand. Indeed, navigating is based on the integration of a plurality of information sources, both specific to the subject and the environment. Accompanying disoriented people is a public health issue, especially in our aging society. Knowledge derived from spatial cognition can provide answers, whether applied to the care or accompaniment of people (navigational aids, environmental management, etc.).