Memory efficiency and executive functioning in normal aging
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1
Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada
The erosion of memory efficiency in aging is well known. The main two hypotheses of this decline are: hippocampal atrophy (Discroll et al., 2003) and decrease of frontal lobe function (Rajah & D’Esposito, 2005). The present pilot study explores the links between executive functioning and memory performance in 15 subjects (2 men) aged 71 to 89. They were given a battery of 8 executive function tests and three memory measures requiring varying degrees of executive implication: Grober-Buschke (externally given strategy), RAVLT (limited strategic encoding), CVLT-II (self-generated strategy). The results do not support the hypothesis that the level of executive functioning determines memory efficiency per se (immediate and delayed recall, recognition). However, executive functioning, more specifically working memory capacity, is expressed as resistance to interference (proactive and retroactive). The link with working memory is indeed restricted to the CVLT-II, in which distracters (list B) are similar to target items. This suggests that the memory decline in aging would result, at least partly, from difficulty in efficiently managing source information. These weaknesses decrease the ability to keep the information in memory, create links between the items and ultimately implement efficient encoding and recuperation strategies.
Conference:
The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes, Toronto, Canada, 22 Mar - 26 Mar, 2010.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Aging
Citation:
Achim
A,
Dagenais
E,
Demers
M and
Picard
C
(2010). Memory efficiency and executive functioning in normal aging.
Conference Abstract:
The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.14.00107
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Received:
29 Jun 2010;
Published Online:
29 Jun 2010.
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Correspondence:
M. Demers, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada, demers.melanie@uqam.ca