Age-related Changes In Memory Research Articles

AI-powered speech device as a tool for neuropsychological assessment of an older adult population: A preliminary study.

AI-powered speech device as a tool for neuropsychological assessment of an older adult population: A preliminary study.

Mnemonic brain state engagement is diminished in healthy aging.

Mnemonic brain state engagement is diminished in healthy aging.

Attending to Remember: Recent Advances in Methods and Theory

The ability to learn from and remember experiences (episodic memory) depends on multiple neurocognitive systems. In this article, we highlight recent advances in methods and theory that are unveiling how mechanisms of attention impact episodic memory. We first provide a high-level overview of the construct and neural substrates underlying attention and related goal-state processes, along with their interactions with memory. We then highlight budding evidence supporting the rhythmic nature of memory and attention, raising key questions about the role that the oscillatory phase of attention rhythms plays on memory encoding and retrieval. Third, we consider how understanding age-related changes in memory and attention can be further advanced by assaying the precision of memory. Last, we illustrate how real-time closed-loop experiments provide opportunities to test causal relationships between attention and memory. Along the way, we raise open questions and future research directions about how attention-memory interactions enable learning and remembering in the mind and brain.

Neural biomarkers of age-related memory change.

The present study investigates whether electroencephalogram activity reflects age-related memory changes during encoding. We recorded scalp electroencephalogram in 151 young adults (aged 18-30) and 37 older adults (aged 60-85) as they memorized lists of words. Participants studied the word lists either under full attention or while performing a secondary task that required them to make semantic judgments about each word. Although the secondary task reduced recall among all participants, differences in recall performance between the age groups were smaller when participants performed a secondary task at encoding. Older adults also exhibited distinct neural subsequent memory effects, characterized by less negativity in the alpha frequencies compared to young adults. Multivariate classifiers trained on neural features successfully predicted subsequent memory at the trial level in both young and older adults, and captured the differential effects of task demands on memory performance between young and older adults. The findings indicate that neural biomarkers of successful memory vary with both cognitive aging and task demands. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Age-related memory decline is accelerated by pinealectomy in young adult and middle-aged rats via BDNF / ERK / CREB signalling.

Age-related memory decline is accelerated by pinealectomy in young adult and middle-aged rats via BDNF / ERK / CREB signalling.

The Role of Age-Related Changes to Memory in Social Judgment and Decision Making Involving Artificial Social Agents

Abstract: Research links a progressive decrement in episodic memory to deficits in judgment and decision making in aging. In social decision making, decrements in episodic memory contribute to suboptimal decisions among older adults. As artificial agents – such as humanoid robots, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered deepfakes, and chatbots – become increasingly present in human society, they can both benefit (e.g., combat loneliness) and harm (e.g., defraud) older adults. Understanding how older adults make social judgments and decisions involving artificial agents is crucial for research and policy making. Nevertheless, it remains poorly understood how episodic memory deficits influence social judgments and decisions involving artificial agents, and how this relation changes with age. This review will bridge this gap by applying a developmental model to explain how memory influences social judgments and decisions involving artificial agents in late adulthood. Evidence suggests that older adults increasingly rely on gist-based processing, which may explain their greater preference for humanoid robots compared with younger adults. We will also discuss the distinct challenges deepfakes pose for older adults’ trust-related decision making. In closing, we will discuss the implications of age-related memory changes for social judgments and decisions involving disembodied artificial agents, such as chatbots.

Lateral hypothalamic area high-frequency deep brain stimulation rescues memory decline in aged rat: behavioral, molecular, and electrophysiological study

To examine the effect of DBS of the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) on age-related memory changes, neuronal firing from CA1, oxidative stress, and the expression of Hsp70, BDNF, and synaptophysin. 72 male rats were randomly allocated into 6 equal groups: a) normal young group (8 W), b) sham young group, c) DBS young group, d) normal old group (24 months), e) sham old group and f) DBS old group. Memory tests (passive avoidance and Y maze), oxidative stress markers (MDA, catalase, and GSH) and expression of Nrf2, HO-1, Hsp70, BDNF, and synaptophysin were measured by the end of the experiment. Also, in vivo recording of the neuronal firing of the CA1 region in the hippocampus was done. Old rats show significant decline in memories, antioxidant genes (Nrf2 and HO-1), antioxidants (GSH and catalase), Hsp70, BDNF, and synaptophysin with significant increase in MDA in hippocampus (p < 0.05) and DBS for LHA caused a significant improvement in memories in old rats, with significant rise in fast gamma and theta waves in CA1 region in old rats (p < 0.05). This was associated with a significant increase in antioxidants (GSH and CAT), antioxidant genes (Nrf2, HO-1), Hsp70, BDNF, and synaptophysin with significant reduction in MDA in hippocampus (p < 0.05). DBS for LHA ameliorates the age-induced memory decline. This might be due to increase in fast gamma in CA1, attenuation of oxidative stress, upregulation of Nrf2, HO-1, Hsp70, BDNF, and synaptophysin in the hippocampus.Graphical The effect of DBS of LHA on memory decline in aged rats. The process of aging results in degeneration of the hippocampus (critical region for memory and learning) via increasing the production of ROS which results in downregulation of Nrf2, HO1, Hsp70, BDNF and synaptophysin leading neuronal aggregates, degeneration and memory decline. On the other hand, DBS of LHA by high frequent currents survive the neurons of hippocampus via reduction of ROS production and upregulation of antioxidant genes (Nrf2/HO1), BDNF, synaptophysin and Hsp70 leading to improvement of memory decline. DBS = deep brain stimulation, LHA = lateral hypothalamic area, ROS = reactive oxygen species, Nrf2 = nuclear erythroid related factor, HO-1 = heme oxygenase-1, BDNF = brain derived neurotrophic factor, Hsp70 = heat shock protein 70. ↑ = increase, ↓ = decrease. Red arrows indicate the process of aging, while blue arrows indicate the process of DBS.

A case for characterizing declarative memory commission errors in healthy aging

Cognitive psychologists typically characterize declarative memory performance in terms of omission errors, or information that is not reported at test. At the same time, there tends to be much less attention paid to characterizing errors of commission, such as reporting non-studied items at test. Importantly, older adults are known to make both types of errors in declarative memory tasks more often than young adults. This review aims to encourage a more thorough characterization of age-related commission errors in declarative memory research by synthesizing findings from disparate literatures that have taken an interest in characterizing this type of error. Specifically, findings relating to commission errors from the false memory, associative memory, and hyper-binding literatures are reviewed to demonstrate the utility of characterizing older adults' declarative memory performance by accounting for commission errors. Together, existing cognitive data provide a compelling rationale for memory researchers, and particularly those interested in age-related changes in memory, to characterize performance by accounting for commission errors in addition to the more commonly considered omission errors.

Early-life bisphenol A exposure causes detrimental age-related changes in anxiety, depression, learning, and memory in juvenile and adult male rats: Involvement of NMDAR/PSD-95–PTEN/AKT signaling pathway

Early-life bisphenol A exposure causes detrimental age-related changes in anxiety, depression, learning, and memory in juvenile and adult male rats: Involvement of NMDAR/PSD-95–PTEN/AKT signaling pathway

Retirement through rose-colored glasses: greater positivity bias in retired relative to working older adults

Abstract Retirement has been associated with declines in memory beyond typical age-related memory decline. This may impact the ability to remember distinct events, as older adults (OA) are susceptible to interference in memory across experiences with overlapping features. Impaired hippocampal pattern separation, a computation that allows for the disambiguation of similar experiences as unique events, is thought to underlie age-related impairment in memory. Furthermore, positive experiences tend to be better remembered than neutral or negative experiences in aging. Socioemotional selectivity theory suggests that awareness of a limited remaining lifespan leads OA to prioritize emotionally fulfilling experiences, often leading to a bias towards positive information compared to negative or neutral information. However, the potential role of retirement in contributing to these age-related changes in memory has yet to be examined. Memory measures that tax hippocampal pattern separation may be more sensitive to memory impairment in retirement compared to standard memory measures. Retirement may exacerbate awareness of reduced remaining time, such that retired OA may experience a greater positivity bias in memory than their working peers. Here, we utilized an emotional memory task that taxes hippocampal pattern separation to examine memory in age-matched retired and working OA. We found that retired OA show selective impairments for memories with high interference and a greater positivity bias in memory compared to their working peers. These findings suggest that retirement may accelerate age-related memory changes, including greater susceptibility to interference as well as a bias toward remembering positive relative to neutral information.

Averting older adults' memory function decline via meaningful activities: a follow-up longitudinal study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of satisfaction with meaningful activities and their performance on the memory function among community-dwelling older adults 3years later. A longitudinal analysis was conducted on 288 community-dwelling older adults aged 65years and more who had completed the survey in 2019 and 2022 as participants in the Tarumizu Study. Meaningful activities were assessed in 2019 using the Aid for Decision-Making in Occupation Choice for activities. Satisfaction with and performance of meaningful activities were assessed, and the bottom 25% were classified into two groups: low satisfaction and low performance. Memory function was assessed using the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool in 2019 and 2022. Changes in memory function over 3years were analyzed by satisfaction and performance of meaningful activities. Two-way analysis of variance with group (satisfaction with and performance of meaningful activities) and time (2019 and 2022) as factors showed no statistically significant group-time interaction for memory in the satisfaction with meaningful activities group (F = 1.4, p = 0.24). Meanwhile, a statistically significant group-time interaction was observed for memory in the meaningful activity performance group, indicating that high performance of meaningful activities may play a protective role against memory decline (F = 7.4, p = 0.007). Higher performance of meaningful activities may protect against age-related changes in memory. A careful assessment of meaningful activities, and engagement that enhances performance may be useful in designing health support against memory decline.

Reducing age differences in the retrieval of verbatim and gist representations: Encoding manipulations.

Aging causes changes in episodic memory. While the ability to remember the general idea or gist of past episodes is relatively preserved from the effects of aging, the ability to remember the verbatim details of these episodes declines. The aim of the present study was to examine whether age-related differences in the quality of episodic representations could be reduced by manipulations of information encoding. Two experiments were conducted with younger adults (NExp.1 = 32, NExp.2 = 31, 18-27 years old) and older adults (NExp.1 = 31, NExp.2 = 30, 54-81 years old) in which either the retrieval of gist representations of studied items was facilitated by presenting items that could be grouped within the same category (Exp. 1) or the retrieval of verbatim details of studied items was facilitated by presenting the same items repeatedly (Exp. 2). Both manipulations proved effective in increasing retrieval of either gist or verbatim representations in a recognition task in younger and older adults. Increasing gist retrieval improved correct recognition performance for both younger and older adults but also led the latter to make more recognition errors. Increasing verbatim retrieval improved correct recognition performance for both younger and older adults, and the gain was greater for older adults. These findings support the notion that age-related changes in episodic memory can be explained by changes in the specificity of representations and suggest that simple encoding manipulations could improve episodic memory in older adults.

Mnemonic brain state engagement is diminished in healthy aging.

Healthy older adults typically show impaired episodic memory - memory for when and where an event oc-curred - but intact semantic memory - knowledge for general information and facts. As older adults also have difficulty inhibiting the retrieval of prior knowledge from memory, their selective decline in episodic memory may be due to a tendency to over engage the retrieval state, a brain state in which attention is focused internally in an attempt to access prior knowledge. The retrieval state trades off with the encoding state, a brain state which supports the formation of new memories. Therefore, episodic memory declines in older adults may be the result of differential engagement in mnemonic brain states. Our hypothesis is that older adults are biased toward a retrieval state. We recorded scalp electroencephalography while young, middle-aged and older adults performed a memory task in which they were explicitly directed to either encode the currently presented object stimulus or retrieve a previously presented, categorically-related object stimulus. We used multivariate pattern analysis of spectral activity to decode engagement in the retrieval vs. encoding state. We find that all three age groups can follow top-down instructions to selectively engage in encoding or retrieval and that we can decode mnemonic states for all age groups. However, we find that mnemonic brain state engagement is diminished for older adults relative to middle-aged adults. Our interpretation is that a combination of executive control deficits and a modest bias to retrieve modulates older adults' mnemonic state engagement. Together, these findings suggest that dif-ferential mnemonic state engagement may underlie age-related memory changes.

Identifying the nature of episodic memory deficits in Major Depressive Disorder using a Real-World What-Where-When task

ABSTRACT Deficits in episodic memory have been reported in various psychiatric conditions, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Many widely used episodic memory tests do not have the ability to distinguish between impaired memory of separate components of a real-life event (e.g., what happened, where it happened and when), and impaired binding of such real-life features. To address this issue, a naturalistic, real-world What-Where-When memory task was employed to assess the nature of episodic memory impairments in MDD. A validation study established that the task is sensitive to age-related episodic memory changes, and that intentional encoding does not invalidate the task. The main study then compared the performance of patients with depression and control participants on the intentionally encoded WWW task. Patients with MDD presented an overall episodic memory impairment arising from deficits in object memory and the ability to bind objects to temporal context. Taken together, our study confirms the episodic memory impairment in MDD, by providing evidence of deficient object memory and reduced ability to bind temporal context to objects in patients. Our naturalistic WWW task presents a promising approach for thorough identification of the nature of episodic memory impairments, under a real-world environment, in various conditions, including MDD.

Age-related reduction in anxiety and neural encoding of negative emotional memory.

Older adults experience less anxiety. We examined how memory of negative emotional images varied with age and may reflect age-related differences in anxiety. Fifty-one adults, age 22-80 years, underwent imaging with a memory task where negative and neutral images were displayed pseudo-randomly. They were queried post-scan about the images inter-mixed with an equal number of images never displayed. Sensitivity (d') and reporting bias (Z-score of false alarm rate; Z[FAR]) were quantified with signal detection theory. Age was negatively correlated with both Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) state score and d' (negative - neutral) and positively with Z[FAR] (negative - neutral). However, STAI score and d' or Z[FAR] (negative - neutral) were not significantly correlated. In whole-brain regression, STAI score was correlated with higher activity of the right middle/superior temporal gyri/temporal parietal junction (MTG/STG/TPJ) for "negative correct - incorrect" - "neutral correct - incorrect" trials. Further, the MTG/STG/TPJ activity (β) was also negatively correlated with age. Mediation analyses supported a complete mediation model of age → less anxiety → less MTG/STG/TPJ β. Together, the findings demonstrated age-related changes in negative emotional memory and how age-related reduction in anxiety is reflected in diminished temporoparietal cortical activities during encoding of negative emotional memory.

ВЛИЯНИЕ НАДМОЛЕКУЛЯРНЫХ СТРУКТУР ПОЛИМЕРОВ НА ИХ ЭЛЕКТРООПТИЧЕСКИЕ СВОЙСТВА

The influence of supramolecular structures on the optical characteristics of polymers is considered. Studies of fluorine-containing acrylic polymers with fluorine-containing electro-optical chromophores in the side chain have shown that they should have a fibrillar supramolecular structure. The preservation of the fibrillar structure determines the technical condi-tions (temperature range) for the operation of high-speed integrated optical modulators and switches. The polymers con-sidered in the work were divided into three types according to the degree of polarization kp: polymers for which kp1 = 1.39; polymers with kp2 = &lt;1.17&gt;; polymers with kp3 = 1.003. To calculate nonlinear optical characteristics, the Jepsen equation was used. The possibility of calculating the polarizability of a polymer x from experimental values of the dielec-tric constant εexp is shown. The approach being developed can be used in medicine and biology to analyze the functioning of neurons (tubulin protein) and identify the causes of age-related changes in human memory. The latter is due to plastici-zation of tubulin and disruption of its fibrillar structure over time at brain temperature.

ADULTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF COGNITIVE DECLINE, DEMENTIA, AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Abstract A 2021 nationally representative survey fielded by AARP of adults aged 40 and older (N=3,022) showed that nearly six in ten (58%) believe that cognitive decline is inevitable, and two-thirds (66%) believe they will experience cognitive decline as they age. Nearly half (48%) think it is likely they will get dementia. As a follow up to this research, in 2022, AARP sponsored focus groups (N=31) and in-depth interviews (N=24) to further explore the perceptions of dementia and cognitive decline among individuals aged 40 and older. The main purpose of this research was to evaluate how Americans understand and communicate about dementia and cognitive decline. The results of this research showed personal experience played a greater role than age when it came to participants’ concern and understanding about cognitive decline. Worry about cognitive decline increased for those caring for a friend or family members with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Participants expressed feelings of inevitability of cognitive decline, but not dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Forgetfulness was mentioned by many participants as part of the aging process, but they were clear that dementia and Alzheimer’s disease were not inevitable and were not the same as age-related memory lapses. Normal, age-related changes in memory and cognitive function were not well-understood and neither was the distinction between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The results from these studies suggest the general population needs information on cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease to better understand each and to raise awareness on the proactive steps needed for brain health

9 Connecting memory and functional brain networks in older adults: a resting state fMRI study

Objective:Nonpathological aging has been linked to decline in both verbal and visuospatial memory abilities in older adults. Disruptions in resting-state functional connectivity within well-characterized, higherorder cognitive brain networks have also been coupled with poorer memory functioning in healthy older adults and in older adults with dementia. However, there is a paucity of research on the association between higherorder functional connectivity and verbal and visuospatial memory performance in the older adult population. The current study examines the association between resting-state functional connectivity within the cingulo-opercular network (CON), frontoparietal control network (FPCN), and default mode network (DMN) and verbal and visuospatial learning and memory in a large sample of healthy older adults. We hypothesized that greater within-network CON and FPCN functional connectivity would be associated with better immediate verbal and visuospatial memory recall. Additionally, we predicted that within-network DMN functional connectivity would be associated with improvements in delayed verbal and visuospatial memory recall. This study helps to glean insight into whether within-network CON, FPCN, or DMN functional connectivity is associated with verbal and visuospatial memory abilities in later life.Participants and Methods:330 healthy older adults between 65 and 89 years old (mean age = 71.6 ± 5.2) were recruited at the University of Florida (n = 222) and the University of Arizona (n = 108). Participants underwent resting-state fMRI and completed verbal memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised [HVLT-R]) and visuospatial memory (Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised [BVMT-R]) measures. Immediate (total) and delayed recall scores on the HVLT-R and BVMT-R were calculated using each test manual’s scoring criteria. Learning ratios on the HVLT-R and BVMT-R were quantified by dividing the number of stimuli (verbal or visuospatial) learned between the first and third trials by the number of stimuli not recalled after the first learning trial. CONN Toolbox was used to extract average within-network connectivity values for CON, FPCN, and DMN. Hierarchical regressions were conducted, controlling for sex, race, ethnicity, years of education, number of invalid scans, and scanner site.Results:Greater CON connectivity was significantly associated with better HVLT-R immediate (total) recall (ß = 0.16, p = 0.01), HVLT-R learning ratio (ß = 0.16, p = 0.01), BVMT-R immediate (total) recall (ß = 0.14, p = 0.02), and BVMT-R delayed recall performance (ß = 0.15, p = 0.01). Greater FPCN connectivity was associated with better BVMT-R learning ratio (ß = 0.13, p = 0.04). HVLT-R delayed recall performance was not associated with connectivity in any network, and DMN connectivity was not significantly related to any measure.Conclusions:Connectivity within CON demonstrated a robust relationship with different components of memory function as well across verbal and visuospatial domains. In contrast, FPCN only evidenced a relationship with visuospatial learning, and DMN was not significantly associated with memory measures. These data suggest that CON may be a valuable target in longitudinal studies of age-related memory changes, but also a possible target in future non-invasive interventions to attenuate memory decline in older adults.

42 Age-Related Alterations in Representational Forms of Imagination: A Novel Scoring Protocol Applied to Autobiographical Memory

Objective:Human imagination is a complex system that allows us to form images or concepts in the mind that are not present to the senses. Research on imagination has been heavily influenced by the idea that humans store two distinct types of long-term memory: episodic and semantic memory. This theoretical distinction is particularly important in the context of aging, where older adults show reduced episodic memory compared to semantic memory (Levine et al., 2002). However, recent work has shown that these two memories are not as distinct as once thought (Renoult et al., 2019; Irish &amp; Vatansever, 2020), suggesting a need to either refine the relationship between these concepts, or the concepts themselves.Here, we apply a broader framework for imagination to the autobiographical memories of older adults. Introduced by Andrews-Hanna &amp; Grilli (2021), memory and future thoughts can be understood as the outcome of the collaboration between two representational forms of imagination: the mind’s mind and the mind’s eye. The mind’s mind is described as a high-level, abstract form of imagination accompanied by a verbal representational form, and the mind’s eye is described as a contextually-specific, image-based form of imagination. In the present study, we examine whether this broader framework for understanding imaginative thought can a) explain some of the established age-related changes in episodic and semantic memory, and b) extend beyond existing research to offer new ways to conceptualize autobiographical memory in aging.Participants and Methods:In this study, we introduce a novel scoring protocol distinguishing mind’s eye from mind’s mind forms of imagination and apply this protocol to the autobiographical memories of eighty-two cognitively normal older adults. Participants were instructed to retrieve unique autobiographical events, and to focus on describing event-specific details. All data were scored both with our new scoring protocol as well as the Autobiographical Interview scoring protocol from Levine et al. (2002).Results:Our novel scoring protocol demonstrated high inter-rater reliability across two raters for both mind’s mind (0.95) and mind’s eye (0.96) details. First, we show that the proportion of mind’s mind and mind’s eye details on average are significantly different, with an increased proportion of mind’s eye details. Second, we find that both mind’s eye detail production and mind’s mind detail production is significantly reduced with age, whereas only internal details decline across age when scored with the Autobiographical Interview scoring procedure.Conclusions:The new scoring protocol suggests that both mind’s mind and mind’s eye details undergo change with age, a finding that shares similarities and differences with results from the Autobiographical Interview scoring technique. Taken together, our results hint at a more elaborate set of detail types forming autobiographical memories that change with age, with implications for understanding episodic and semantic memory.

A novel face-name mnemonic discrimination task with naturalistic stimuli

A novel face-name mnemonic discrimination task with naturalistic stimuli