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Open AccessEditorial

Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging: The Editorial

by Caterina Padulo and Beth Fairfield

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(3), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030518 - 21 Mar 2023

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Abstract

Heightened average life expectancy, which is increasing the number of older adults destined to live alone in the future, is forcing society to acknowledge the strong positive correlation between health costs and age [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

Research

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19 pages, 2208 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between Short- and Long-Term Memory Is Preserved across the Age Range

by Giedrė Čepukaitytė, Jude L. Thom, Melvin Kallmayer, Anna C. Nobre and Nahid Zokaei

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(1), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13010106 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5205

Abstract

Both short- and long-term memories decline with healthy ageing. The aims of the current study were twofold: firstly, to build on previous studies and investigate the presence of a relationship between short- and long-term memories and, secondly, to examine cross-sectionally whether there are [...] Read more.

Both short- and long-term memories decline with healthy ageing. The aims of the current study were twofold: firstly, to build on previous studies and investigate the presence of a relationship between short- and long-term memories and, secondly, to examine cross-sectionally whether there are changes in this relationship with age. In two experiments, participants across the age range were tested on contextual-spatial memories after short and long memory durations. Experimental control in stimulus materials and task demands enabled the analogous encoding and probing for both memory durations, allowing us to examine the relationship between the two memory systems. Across two experiments, in line with previous studies, we found both short-term memory and long-term memory declined from early to late adulthood. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between short- and long-term memory performance, which, interestingly, persisted throughout the age range. Our findings suggest a significant degree of common vulnerability to healthy ageing for short- and long-term memories sharing the same spatial-contextual associations. Furthermore, our tasks provide a sensitive and promising framework for assessing and comparing memory function at different timescales in disorders with memory deficits at their core. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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24 pages, 1942 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wakeful Rest Benefits Recall, but Not Recognition, of Incidentally Encoded Memory Stimuli in Younger and Older Adults

by Peter R. Millar and David A. Balota

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(12), 1609; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12121609 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3068

Abstract

Older adults exhibit deficits in episodic memory tasks, which have often been attributed to encoding or retrieval deficits, with little attention to consolidation mechanisms. More recently, researchers have attempted to measure consolidation in the context of a behavioral experiment using the wakeful rest [...] Read more.

Older adults exhibit deficits in episodic memory tasks, which have often been attributed to encoding or retrieval deficits, with little attention to consolidation mechanisms. More recently, researchers have attempted to measure consolidation in the context of a behavioral experiment using the wakeful rest paradigm (i.e., a brief, quiet period of minimal stimulation, which facilitates memory performance, compared to a distractor task). Critically, older adults might not produce this effect, given established age differences in other episodic memory processes and mind-wandering. In three experiments, we directly compared younger and older adults in modified versions of the wakeful rest paradigm. Critically, we utilized incidental encoding procedures (all experiments) and abstract shape stimuli (in Experiment 3) to limit the possibility of retrieval practice or maintenance rehearsal as potential confounding mechanisms in producing the wakeful rest effect. Wakeful rest reliably and equally benefited recall of incidentally encoded words in both younger and older adults. In contrast, wakeful rest had no benefit for standard accuracy measures of recognition performance in verbal stimuli, although there was an effect in response latencies for non-verbal stimuli. Overall, these results suggest that the benefits of wakeful rest on episodic retrieval are preserved across age groups, and hence support age-independence in potential consolidation mechanisms as measured by wakeful rest. Further, these benefits do not appear to be dependent on the intentionality of encoding or variations in distractor task types. Finally, the lack of wakeful rest benefits on recognition performance might be driven by theoretical constraints on the effect or methodological limitations of recognition memory testing in the current paradigm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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16 pages, 453 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Effect of Bilateral Eye Movements on Memory Retrieval in Ageing and Dementia

by Megan Polden and Trevor J. Crawford

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(10), 1299; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12101299 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3008

Abstract

It has been reported that performing bilateral eye movements for a short period can lead to an enhancement of memory retrieval and recall (termed the “saccade induced retrieval effect (SIRE)”). The source of this effect has been debated within the literature and the [...] Read more.

It has been reported that performing bilateral eye movements for a short period can lead to an enhancement of memory retrieval and recall (termed the “saccade induced retrieval effect (SIRE)”). The source of this effect has been debated within the literature and the phenomenon has come under scrutiny as the robustness of the effect has recently been questioned. To date investigations of SIRE have largely been restricted to younger adult populations. Here, across two experiments, we assess the robustness and generalisability of the SIRE specifically in relation to disease and ageing. Experiment 1 employed a between subject’s design and presented younger and older participants with 36 words prior to completing one of three eye movement conditions (bilateral, antisaccade or a fixation eye movement). Participants then performed a word recognition task. Experiment 2 assessed the SIRE in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Mild cognitive impairment and Parkinson’s by employing an online within subject’s design. Results showed no significant difference between groups in the number of words recognised based on eye movement condition. Neither experiment 1 or 2 replicated the SIRE effect therefore the findings from this study add to the growing number of studies that have failed to replicate the SIRE effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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8 pages, 811 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Curiosity Killed the Cat but Not Memory: Enhanced Performance in High-Curiosity States

by Caterina Padulo, Erika Marascia, Nadia Conte, Noemi Passarello, Laura Mandolesi and Beth Fairfield

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(7), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12070846 - 28 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2260

Abstract

Curiosity benefits memory for target information and may also benefit memory for incidental information presented during curiosity states. However, it is not known whether incidental curiosity-enhanced memory depends on or is affected by the valence of the incidental information during curiosity states. Here, [...] Read more.

Curiosity benefits memory for target information and may also benefit memory for incidental information presented during curiosity states. However, it is not known whether incidental curiosity-enhanced memory depends on or is affected by the valence of the incidental information during curiosity states. Here, older and younger participants incidentally encoded unrelated face images (positive, negative, and neutral) while they anticipated answers to trivia questions. We found memory enhancements for answers to trivia questions and unrelated faces presented during high-curiosity compared with low-curiosity states in both younger and older adults. Interestingly, face valence did not modify memory for unrelated faces. This suggests processes associated with the elicitation of curiosity enhance memory for incidental information instead of valence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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14 pages, 1104 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Verbal Encoding Deficits Impact Recognition Memory in Atypical “Non-Amnestic” Alzheimer’s Disease

by Deepti Putcha, Nicole Carvalho, Sheena Dev, Scott M. McGinnis, Bradford C. Dickerson and Bonnie Wong

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(7), 843; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12070843 - 28 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1979

Abstract

Memory encoding and retrieval deficits have been identified in atypical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) and logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA), despite these groups being referred to as “non-amnestic”. There is a critical need to better understand recognition memory [...] Read more.

Memory encoding and retrieval deficits have been identified in atypical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) and logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA), despite these groups being referred to as “non-amnestic”. There is a critical need to better understand recognition memory in atypical AD. We investigated performance on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II-SF) in 23 amyloid-positive, tau-positive, and neurodegeneration-positive participants with atypical “non-amnestic” variants of AD (14 PCA, 9 lvPPA) and 14 amnestic AD participants. Recognition memory performance was poor across AD subgroups but trended toward worse in the amnestic group. Encoding was related to recognition memory in non-amnestic but not in amnestic AD. We also observed cortical atrophy in dissociable subregions of the distributed memory network related to encoding (left middle temporal and angular gyri, posterior cingulate and precuneus) compared to recognition memory (anterior medial temporal cortex). We conclude that recognition memory is not spared in all patients with atypical variants of AD traditionally thought to be “non-amnestic”. The non-amnestic AD patients with poor recognition memory were those who struggled to encode the material during the learning trials. In contrast, the amnestic AD group had poor recognition memory regardless of encoding ability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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17 pages, 320 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Semantic Self-Images and Well-Being in Young and Older Adults: Does the Accessibility Matter?

by Manila Vannucci, Carlo Chiorri, Claudia Pelagatti and Laura Favilli

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(6), 716; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12060716 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1895

Abstract

In the present study we investigated whether and how age group, dimensions of well-being and their interactions predicted the phenomenological properties of semantic self-images, taking also into account the different levels of accessibility of self-images (i.e., order of generation). Results on the first [...] Read more.

In the present study we investigated whether and how age group, dimensions of well-being and their interactions predicted the phenomenological properties of semantic self-images, taking also into account the different levels of accessibility of self-images (i.e., order of generation). Results on the first self-image revealed that, independently of age, higher levels of life satisfaction predicted higher likelihood of positive than negative statement and higher levels of negative affect and life satisfaction predicted higher levels of personal relevance of the self-image. When all self-images were considered, for higher levels of life satisfaction neutral and positive self-images were more likely than negative ones, and for lower levels of positive affect, neutral images were more likely than negative ones. Moreover, young adults were more likely than older adults to report neutral rather than negative self-images and, for higher levels of positive affect, they were more likely to report neutral and positive images instead of negative ones. These results suggest that the accessibility of semantic self-images should be taken into account in the investigation of the complex association between well-being and semantic self-images. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

19 pages, 16368 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction of Chronological Age in Healthy Elderly Subjects with Machine Learning from MRI Brain Segmentation and Cortical Parcellation

by Jaime Gómez-Ramírez, Miguel A. Fernández-Blázquez and Javier J. González-Rosa

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(5), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050579 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3491

Abstract

Normal aging is associated with changes in volumetric indices of brain atrophy. A quantitative understanding of age-related brain changes can shed light on successful aging. To investigate the effect of age on global and regional brain volumes and cortical thickness, 3514 magnetic resonance [...] Read more.

Normal aging is associated with changes in volumetric indices of brain atrophy. A quantitative understanding of age-related brain changes can shed light on successful aging. To investigate the effect of age on global and regional brain volumes and cortical thickness, 3514 magnetic resonance imaging scans were analyzed using automated brain segmentation and parcellation methods in elderly healthy individuals (69–88 years of age). The machine learning algorithm extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) achieved a mean absolute error of 2 years in predicting the age of new subjects. Feature importance analysis showed that the brain-to-intracranial-volume ratio is the most important feature in predicting age, followed by the hippocampi volumes. The cortical thickness in temporal and parietal lobes showed a superior predictive value than frontal and occipital lobes. Insights from this approach that integrate model prediction and interpretation may help to shorten the current explanatory gap between chronological age and biological brain age. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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13 pages, 1002 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Young Adults with a Parent with Dementia Show Early Abnormalities in Brain Activity and Brain Volume in the Hippocampus: A Matched Case-Control Study

by Ian M. McDonough, Christopher Mayhugh, Mary Katherine Moore, Mikenzi B. Brasfield, Sarah K. Letang, Christopher R. Madan and Rebecca S. Allen

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(4), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12040496 - 13 Apr 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3338

Abstract

Having a parent with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias confers a risk for developing these types of neurocognitive disorders in old age, but the mechanisms underlying this risk are understudied. Although the hippocampus is often one of the earliest brain regions to [...] Read more.

Having a parent with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias confers a risk for developing these types of neurocognitive disorders in old age, but the mechanisms underlying this risk are understudied. Although the hippocampus is often one of the earliest brain regions to undergo change in the AD process, we do not know how early in the lifespan such changes might occur or whether they differ early in the lifespan as a function of family history of AD. Using a rare sample, young adults with a parent with late-onset dementia, we investigated whether brain abnormalities could already be detected compared with a matched sample. Moreover, we employed simple yet novel techniques to characterize resting brain activity (mean and standard deviation) and brain volume in the hippocampus. Young adults with a parent with dementia showed greater resting mean activity and smaller volumes in the left hippocampus compared to young adults without a parent with dementia. Having a parent with AD or a related dementia was associated with early aberrations in brain function and structure. This early hippocampal dysfunction may be due to aberrant neural firing, which may increase the risk for a diagnosis of dementia in old age. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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26 pages, 841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Brief Strategy Training in Aging: Near Transfer Effects and Mediation of Gains by Improved Self-Regulation

by Carla M. Strickland-Hughes and Robin L. West

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(4), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12040465 - 30 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2017

Abstract

A common approach to cognitive intervention for adults is memory strategy training, but limited work of this type has examined intervention effects in relation to self-regulation (e.g., strategy usage, memory beliefs) and few have established near transfer (training-related performance gain on untrained tasks [...] Read more.

A common approach to cognitive intervention for adults is memory strategy training, but limited work of this type has examined intervention effects in relation to self-regulation (e.g., strategy usage, memory beliefs) and few have established near transfer (training-related performance gain on untrained tasks related to the target task). The present research, Everyday Memory Clinic—Revised (EMC-R), examined whether relatively brief face-name association training, offering elements focused on self-regulation, can improve name recall, enhance memory self-regulation, and lead to near transfer. Participants were 122 healthy, well-educated middle-aged and older adults (51–90 years old) randomly assigned to a strategy training program (SO), a comparable program with a theoretical self-regulatory boost (SB), or a waitlist control group. Compared to the waitlist group, both groups of trainees demonstrated higher pretest-posttest improvements in name recall (target task), memory self-efficacy, and effective strategy use, as well as the near transfer of gains to nontrained associative tasks, a rare finding in strategy training research. Furthermore, changes in memory self-efficacy and strategy use fully mediated the effect of training on name recall. This innovative approach for brief memory intervention offers a model for successful training that can be easily disseminated via community centers and lifelong learning programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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11 pages, 1451 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Do Older and Younger Adults Prefer the Positive or Avoid the Negative?

by Beth Fairfield, Caterina Padulo, Alessandro Bortolotti, Bernardo Perfetti, Nicola Mammarella and Michela Balsamo

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(3), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12030393 - 15 Mar 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2527

Abstract

Affective information is processed in different ways across one’s lifespan. Explanations for this pattern of performance are multiple and range from top-down motivational shifts and cognitive control to faster bottom-up and implicit processes. In this study, we aimed to investigate implicit affective information [...] Read more.

Affective information is processed in different ways across one’s lifespan. Explanations for this pattern of performance are multiple and range from top-down motivational shifts and cognitive control to faster bottom-up and implicit processes. In this study, we aimed to investigate implicit affective information processing and positivity effects by examining performance in a modified version of the dot-probe task across three image-pair conditions (positive/neutral; negative/neutral; and positive/negative). We examined data from 50 older adults and 50 younger adults. The results showed that affective information processing varies with age and valence and that age effects in affective processing may occur early during information processing. Positivity biases emerge in both younger and older adults. However, while younger adults seem to prioritize positive information independently of context, older adults showed this prioritization only when presented in an emotional (i.e., negative) context. Moreover, older adults showed a tendency to avoid negative information whereas younger adults showed a general bias for affective content modulated by image-pair context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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19 pages, 305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Teaching Elaborative Reminiscing to Support Autobiographical Memory and Relationships in Residential and Community Aged Care Services

by Celia B. Harris, Penny Van Bergen, Paul A. Strutt, Gabrielle K. Picard, Sophia A. Harris, Ruth Brookman and Karn Nelson

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(3), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12030374 - 11 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3294

Abstract

Memories of the past are critically important as we age. For older adults receiving formal care in a range of settings, reminiscing with care staff may provide frequent opportunities for recalling autobiographical memories with a supportive conversational partner. Importantly, prior research suggests that [...] Read more.

Memories of the past are critically important as we age. For older adults receiving formal care in a range of settings, reminiscing with care staff may provide frequent opportunities for recalling autobiographical memories with a supportive conversational partner. Importantly, prior research suggests that some reminiscing conversations are more supportive than others. In the developmental literature, a long tradition of sociocultural memory research has shown how children’s autobiographical memory is scaffolded and supported by parents during reminiscing, when parents use a particular kind of conversational technique, known as “elaborative reminiscing”. In the current project, we aimed to examine whether we could enhance conversations between staff and older people receiving aged care by teaching care staff about these beneficial conversational techniques and supporting them to reminisce more often with residents/clients. We also aimed to determine whether staff members’ use of elaborative reminiscing techniques was associated with autobiographical memory details recalled by residents/clients during routine conversations. We conducted a workshop with 16 staff within a residential aged care and community care setting. We followed this with a 4-week training-and-feedback period during which staff recorded their conversations with residents and clients. Staff feedback indicated successful use of the scaffolding techniques overall, and benefits as well as barriers to their use in day-to-day practice. Analysis of the conversations demonstrated that the use of particular elaborative reminiscing techniques by staff was associated with increased recall of episodic and semantic autobiographical memory details by residents/clients. Overall, findings suggest that the principles of elaborative reminiscing may apply across the lifespan, and that the benefits of elaborative reminiscing for autobiographical memory may be particularly important in times of cognitive need. Practically, training aged care staff in specific and practical conversational tools can facilitate reminiscing for people receiving aged care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

Review

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11 pages, 273 KiB

Open AccessReview

Motor Imagery as a Key Factor for Healthy Ageing: A Review of New Insights and Techniques

by Noemi Passarello, Marianna Liparoti, Caterina Padulo, Pierpaolo Sorrentino, Fabio Alivernini, Beth Fairfield, Fabio Lucidi and Laura Mandolesi

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(11), 1492; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12111492 - 3 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2086

Abstract

Motor imagery (MI) describes a dynamic cognitive process where a movement is mentally simulated without taking place and holds potential as a means of stimulating motor learning and regaining motor skills. There is growing evidence that imagined and executed actions have common neural [...] Read more.

Motor imagery (MI) describes a dynamic cognitive process where a movement is mentally simulated without taking place and holds potential as a means of stimulating motor learning and regaining motor skills. There is growing evidence that imagined and executed actions have common neural circuitry. Since MI counteracts cognitive and motor decline, a growing interest in MI-based mental exercise for older individuals has emerged. Here we review the last decade’s scientific literature on age-related changes in MI skills. Heterogeneity in the experimental protocols, as well as the use of populations with unrepresentative age, is making it challenging to draw unambiguous conclusions about MI skills preservation. Self-report and behavioural tasks have shown that some MI components are preserved, while others are impaired. Evidence from neuroimaging studies revealed that, during MI tasks, older individuals hyperactivate their sensorimotor and attentional networks. Some studies have argued that this represents a compensatory mechanism, others claim that this is a sign of cognitive decline. However, further studies are needed to establish whether MI could be used as a promotion factor to improve cognitive functioning and well-being in older people. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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Other

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9 pages, 486 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Building Embodied Spaces for Spatial Memory Neurorehabilitation with Virtual Reality in Normal and Pathological Aging

by Cosimo Tuena, Silvia Serino, Elisa Pedroli, Marco Stramba-Badiale, Giuseppe Riva and Claudia Repetto

Brain Sci. 2021, 11(8), 1067; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11081067 - 14 Aug 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3466

Abstract

Along with deficits in spatial cognition, a decline in body-related information is observed in aging and is thought to contribute to impairments in navigation, memory, and space perception. According to the embodied cognition theories, bodily and environmental information play a crucial role in [...] Read more.

Along with deficits in spatial cognition, a decline in body-related information is observed in aging and is thought to contribute to impairments in navigation, memory, and space perception. According to the embodied cognition theories, bodily and environmental information play a crucial role in defining cognitive representations. Thanks to the possibility to involve body-related information, manipulate environmental stimuli, and add multisensory cues, virtual reality is one of the best candidates for spatial memory rehabilitation in aging for its embodied potential. However, current virtual neurorehabilitation solutions for aging and neurodegenerative diseases are in their infancy. Here, we discuss three concepts that could be used to improve embodied representations of the space with virtual reality. The virtual bodily representation is the combination of idiothetic information involved during virtual navigation thanks to input/output devices; the spatial affordances are environmental or symbolic elements used by the individual to act in the virtual environment; finally, the virtual enactment effect is the enhancement on spatial memory provided by actively (cognitively and/or bodily) interacting with the virtual space and its elements. Theoretical and empirical findings will be presented to propose innovative rehabilitative solutions in aging for spatial memory and navigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Memory and Aging)

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