A-48 The Role of Processing Speed in Verbal and Nonverbal Learning within a Clinical Sample of Older Adults.

Abstract

Abstract Objective Prior research revealed that processing speed predicts nonverbal learning in healthy older adults (Tam & Schmitter-Edgecombe, 2013). This study aims to examine the role of processing speed in both verbal and nonverbal learning in a clinical sample. We expect that processing speed will lend the most variance to the initial learning trials. Method Records from 718 patients were reviewed (mean age = 74). Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using Brief Visuospatial Memory Test –Revised (BVMT-R) and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test –Revised (HVLT-R) learning trials as outcome variables. Demographics were entered in a first step followed by BVMT-R copy or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) Digit Span –longest digit span forward raw score, to account for visuoconstruction or simple auditory attention for nonverbal and verbal learning outcomes respectively. A processing speed composite of sample-standardized raw scores was entered in a final step. Results Processing speed accounted for 5.4% of the variance in BVMT-R trial 1, 7.5% of the variance in trial 2, and 8.5% of the variance in trial 3, all p < .001. Processing speed accounted for 6.6% of the variance in HVLT-R trial 1, 11.1% of the variance in trial 2, and 11.5% of the variance in trial 3, all p < .001. Conclusions Processing speed significantly predicted all verbal and nonverbal learning trials. Contrary to our hypotheses, processing speed actually had a greater contribution during subsequent learning trials. These findings have implications for evaluating memory performance in patients with syndromes where processing speed is typically affected (e.g., cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease).