One of the most damaging effects of normal aging is that of increasing difficulty with memory for recent events. These are sometimes referred to as episodic memories in that they are encoded within a context, in contrast with one's semantic memory that reflects long-held, context-free, knowledge. Although this difficulty in forming episodic memories is a virtual hallmark of the aging process, the factors that underlie this deficit in self-initiated recall remain largely unknown. This application offers an approach to this question that employs an analysis of the temporal output pattern of recall responses both in the early stages of learning and when young and elderly adults are equated for recall level by allowing differential amounts of practice. In this way, one can examine age differences in strength and organization of memory traces when material is correctly recalled, as well as when memory fails. Of special interest is, first, the way in which semantic organization and temporal information are encoded when sets of verbal materials are learned, and second, the extent to which deficiencies in elderly memory performance result from a failure to form effective retrieval cues based on these factors. A detailed modeling of the age-affected systems could lead not only to a better understanding of aging memory but also provide a theoretical basis on which to build potential schemes for memory remediation among elderly adults suffering age-related memory impairment.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01AG015852-05S1
Application #
6644587
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Program Officer
Elias, Jeffrey W
Project Start
1998-08-01
Project End
2003-07-31
Budget Start
2002-09-01
Budget End
2003-07-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$59,373
Indirect Cost
Name
Brandeis University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
616845814
City
Waltham
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02454
Golomb, Julie D; Peelle, Jonathan E; Addis, Kelly M et al. (2008) Effects of adult aging on utilization of temporal and semantic associations during free and serial recall. Mem Cognit 36:947-56
Zaromb, Franklin M; Howard, Marc W; Dolan, Emily D et al. (2006) Temporal associations and prior-list intrusions in free recall. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 32:792-804
Sekuler, Robert; McLaughlin, Chris; Kahana, Michael J et al. (2006) Short-term visual recognition and temporal order memory are both well-preserved in aging. Psychol Aging 21:632-7
Howard, Marc W; Kahana, Michael J; Wingfield, Arthur (2006) Aging and contextual binding: modeling recency and lag recency effects with the temporal context model. Psychon Bull Rev 13:439-45
Howard, Marc W; Fotedar, Mrigankka S; Datey, Aditya V et al. (2005) The temporal context model in spatial navigation and relational learning: toward a common explanation of medial temporal lobe function across domains. Psychol Rev 112:75-116
Kahana, Michael J; Dolan, Emily D; Sauder, Colin L et al. (2005) Intrusions in episodic recall: age differences in editing of overt responses. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 60:P92-7
Sekuler, Robert; Kahana, Michael J; McLaughlin, Chris et al. (2005) Preservation of episodic visual recognition memory in aging. Exp Aging Res 31:1-13
Kahana, Michael J; Howard, Marc W (2005) Spacing and lag effects in free recall of pure lists. Psychon Bull Rev 12:159-64
Kahana, Michael J; Howard, Marc W; Zaromb, Franklin et al. (2002) Age dissociates recency and lag recency effects in free recall. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 28:530-40
Wingfield, Arthur; Kahana, Michael J (2002) The dynamics of memory retrieval in older adulthood. Can J Exp Psychol 56:187-99

Showing the most recent 10 out of 14 publications