Repetition lag training eliminates age-related recollection deficits (and gains are maintained after three months) but does not transfer: Implications for the fractionation of recollection.

The objectives of this study were to replicate age-related decrements in recollection and source memory, and to determine if repetition lag training improves recollection and whether these effects maintain and transfer to other tasks. Sixteen young adults and 46 healthy older adults participated, the latter of whom comprised hi-old (n = 16) and lo-old (n = 30) based on neuropsychological memory tests. All participants completed memory tests and questionnaires at baseline, and then half of the lo-old underwent nine days of repetition lag training while the other half engaged in a 9-day active control program. The memory tests and questionnaires were repeated immediately after the training or control program, and again three months later. The baseline data replicated well-established age-related decrements in recollection. Repetition lag training improved objective measures of recollection, eliminated the age-related recollection decrement, and these improvements maintained over three months. However, training did not transfer to any other objective test of memory thought to rely on recollection, or to any subjective memory measure. The results demonstrate for the first time that repetition lag training improves objective measures of recollection, eliminates recollection differences between younger and older adults, and that these gains maintain over a 3-month period posttraining. The lack of transfer to other tasks, however, indicates that training one type of recollection (for the studied modality in this case) does not affect other types of recollection (e.g., of an item's recency). We suggest that recollection can be fractionated into many distinct types. (PsycINFO Database Record

A short bedside battery for visuoconstructive hemispatial neglect: Sunnybrook Neglect Assessment Procedure (SNAP).

Although it is currently not known whether early assessment and treatment of hemispatial neglect improves rehabilitation outcome, identification in the acute phase of post stroke is important for nursing, counseling families, and planning intervention strategies. Previous tests of neglect either fail to detect mild forms of neglect or are too lengthy for use at the bedside. We tested and selected an efficient, small battery of tests to address this gap. Two hundred and twenty-four stroke patients completed the Sunnybrook Neglect Assessment Procedure (SNAP). Normal performance was determined from a population of 100 normal elderly volunteers. The SNAP was shown to be a highly reliable and valid instrument. Factor analysis showed good internal consistency, suggesting that performance on each subtest is positively correlated with the others. The SNAP is a useful and reliable tool to assess neglect at the bedside in acute stroke patients.

Proactive and retroactive interference in young adults, healthy older adults, and older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

This study investigated memory interference in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and normal aging. Participants were 27 young adults, 44 healthy older adults, and 15 older adults with aMCI. Memory interference was examined on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) and on a modified AB-AC paradigm. Despite significant differences in memory performance on the CVLT, interference measures on this test did not distinguish individuals with aMCI and healthy older adults. The AB-AC task involved first learning a list (AB list) of 12 semantically related word pairs (e.g., knee-bone). Twenty minutes later, a second list (AC list) was learned in which the same stimulus words were paired with new response words (e.g., knee-bend). Both lists were repeated until 100% accurate recall was achieved. Finally, participants recalled the first (AB) list. Proactive interference (PI) was greater among older than younger adults, and greater still among individuals with aMCI, but the older and aMCI groups showed similar levels of retroactive interference. This study suggests that PI contributes to the memory deficits seen in aMCI and that tests sensitive to PI may assist in the early identification of aMCI. Memory interventions aimed at alleviating PI may improve memory functioning in individuals with aMCI. (JINS, 2009, 15, 83-93.).

Recollection- and familiarity-based memory in healthy aging and amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Little is known about the cognitive mechanisms of the memory impairment associated with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). We explored recollection and familiarity in 27 healthy young adults, 45 healthy older adults, and 17 individuals with aMCI. Relative to the younger adults, recollection was reduced in the older adults, especially among those with aMCI. Familiarity did not differ among groups. In the healthy younger and older adults, better performance on a set of clinical memory measures that are sensitive to medial temporal lobe functioning was associated with greater recollection. In addition, among the healthy older adults better executive functioning was also associated with greater recollection. These results are consistent with the notion that recollection is a product of strategic processes mediated by the prefrontal cortex that suppport the retrieval of context-dependent memories from the hippocampus. Hippocampal atrophy associated with aMCI may disrupt this brain network, and thereby interfere with recollection.