Cognitive Correlates of Mnemonics Usage and Verbal Recall Memory in Old Age

Jacobs, Diane M.; Rakitin, Brian C.; Zubin, Naomi R. E.; Ventura, Paula; Stern, Yaakov · 2022 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.7916/pfpp-q905

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Summary

This study investigates the cognitive correlates of verbal recall memory in older adults, specifically testing the resource-reduction hypothesis of cognitive aging. This hypothesis posits that age-related memory declines stem from a general reduction in available processing resources, such as working memory capacity. The researchers aimed to determine if minimizing processing demands by presenting semantically related word lists in blocked categories would differentially improve recall in older adults compared to younger adults. Additionally, the study examined which nonmemory cognitive abilities—working memory, abstract reasoning, or word finding—were most strongly associated with recall performance. The study included 24 young adults (ages 17–30) and 47 older adults, who were further divided into "younger-elderly" (65–73 years) and "older-elderly" (74–87 years) groups. Participants completed two semantically related word lists: one with words blocked by category and another with categories intermixed. Memory performance was assessed through five immediate recall trials, a 20-minute delayed recall, and a 1-week delayed recall. Semantic clustering usage was also measured. Interspersed with memory tasks were assessments of working memory (digit span, subtraction span), language/word finding (Boston Naming Test, category fluency), and abstract reasoning (Similarities, Odd-Man-Out). Statistical analyses included mixed-model repeated-measures ANOVAs and regression analyses to evaluate group differences and cognitive predictors. Results confirmed expected age-related declines in recall performance, with young adults outperforming both elderly groups, and younger-elderly participants outperforming older-elderly participants. While blocked presentation improved recall for all groups compared to unblocked presentation, the relative benefit was comparable across age groups, contradicting the prediction that older adults would benefit disproportionately due to reduced processing demands. Crucially, regression analyses revealed that recall performance and semantic clustering were significantly associated with word finding ability, but not with working memory or abstract reasoning. Word finding was the only significant cognitive predictor of immediate recall, delayed recall, and clustering usage. The findings suggest that age-associated declines in verbal recall and the use of semantic clustering are not primarily caused by a reduction in general processing resources or working memory capacity. Instead, these memory deficits are more strongly linked to declines in semantic knowledge and word finding skills. The study implies that the ability to access and organize semantic information is a critical factor in successful verbal recall in old age, challenging theories that attribute memory aging solely to resource limitations. These results highlight the importance of distinguishing between processing capacity and semantic facility when understanding cognitive aging.

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• cognitive capacity variation