Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T15:06:26.107Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of strategic memory training in older adults: who benefits most?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2017

Alessia Rosi Open the ORCID record for Alessia Rosi [Opens in a new window] ,
Federica Del Signore ,
Elisa Canelli ,
Nicola Allegri ,
Sara Bottiroli ,
Tomaso Vecchi  and
Elena Cavallini
Alessia Rosi*
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
Federica Del Signore
Affiliation:
Pavia and Vigevano Neuropsychological Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Vigevano, Italy
Elisa Canelli
Affiliation:
Pavia and Vigevano Neuropsychological Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Vigevano, Italy
Nicola Allegri
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy Pavia and Vigevano Neuropsychological Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Vigevano, Italy
Sara Bottiroli
Affiliation:
Headache Science Centre, National Neurological Institute C. Mondino, Pavia, Italy
Tomaso Vecchi
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy Brain Connectivity Center, National Neurological Institute C. Mondino, Pavia, Italy
Elena Cavallini
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Alessia Rosi, Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy. Phone: +39 0382 986133; Fax: +39 0382. 986132. Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Previous research has suggested that there is a degree of variability among older adults’ response to memory training, such that some individuals benefit more than others. The aim of the present study was to identify the profile of older adults who were likely to benefit most from a strategic memory training program that has previously proved to be effective in improving memory in healthy older adults.

Method:

In total, 44 older adults (60–83 years) participated in a strategic memory training. We examined memory training benefits by measuring changes in memory practiced (word list learning) and non-practiced tasks (grocery list and associative learning). In addition, a battery of cognitive measures was administered in order to assess crystallized and fluid abilities, short-term memory, working memory, and processing speed.

Results:

Results confirmed the efficacy of the training in improving performance in both practiced and non-practiced memory tasks. For the practiced memory tasks, results showed that memory baseline performance and crystallized ability predicted training gains. For the non-practiced memory tasks, analyses showed that memory baseline performance was a significant predictor of gain in the grocery list learning task. For the associative learning task, the significant predictors were memory baseline performance, processing speed, and marginally the age.

Conclusions:

Our results indicate that older adults with a higher baseline memory capacity and with more efficient cognitive resources were those who tended to benefit most from the training. The present study provides new avenues in designing personalized intervention according to the older adults’ cognitive profile.

Keywords

memorytrainingpredictorsgainolder adultsindividual differences
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 30 , Issue 8: Issue Theme: Caregiver Stress , August 2018 , pp. 1235 - 1242
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bissig, D. and Lustig, C. (2007). Who benefits from memory training? Psychological Science, 18, 720–726. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01966.x.Google Scholar
Borella, E., Carbone, E., Pastore, M., De Beni, R. and Carretti, B. (2017). Working memory training for healthy older adults: the role of individual characteristics in explaining short-and long-term gains. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00099.Google Scholar
Bottiroli, S., Cavallini, E., Dunlosky, J., Vecchi, T. and Hertzog, C. (2013). The importance of training strategy adaptation: a learner-oriented approach for improving older adults’ memory and transfer. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 19, 205–218. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034078.Google Scholar
Bürki, C. N., Ludwig, C., Chicherio, C. and de Ribaupierre, A. (2014). Individual differences in cognitive plasticity: an investigation of training curves in younger and older adults. Psychological Research, 78, 821–835. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-014-0559-3.Google Scholar
Cavallini, E., Dunlosky, J., Bottiroli, S., Hertzog, C. and Vecchi, T. (2010). Promoting transfer in memory training for older adults. Aging clinical and experimental research, 22, 314–323. Available at: https://doi.org/314.10.1007/BF03337728.Google Scholar
Cavallini, E., Pagnin, A. and Vecchi, T. (2003a). Aging and everyday memory: the beneficial effect of memory training. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 37, 241–257. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-4943(03)00063-3.Google Scholar
Cavallini, E., Pagnin, A. and Vecchi, T. (2003b). The rehabilitation of memory in old age: effects of mnemonics and metacognition in strategic training. Clinical Gerontologist, 26, 125–141. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1300/J018v26n01_11.Google Scholar
Cornoldi, C. (1995). Metacognizione e Apprendimento [Metacognition and Learning]. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E. and McHugh, P. R. (1975). Mini Mental State: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6.Google Scholar
Gross, A. L. et al. (2012). Memory training interventions for older adults: a meta-analysis. Aging & Mental Health, 16, 722–734. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2012.667783.Google Scholar
Hill, R., Yesavage, J., Sheikh, J. and Friedman, L. (1989). Mental status as a predictor of response to memory training in older adults. Educational Gerontology, 15, 633–639. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/0380127890150607.Google Scholar
Horn, J. L. and Cattell, R. B. (1967). Age differences in fluid and crystallized intelligence. Acta Psychologica, 26, 107–129. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-6918(67)90011-X.Google Scholar
Kliegl, R., Smith, J. and Baltes, P. B. (1990). On the locus and process of magnification of age differences during mnemonic training. Developmental Psychology, 26, 894–904. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.26.6.894.Google Scholar
Kurtz, T. and Zimprich, D. (2014). Individual differences in criterion-based dropout learning in old age: the role of processing speed and verbal knowledge. European Journal of Ageing, 11, 183–193. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-013-0293-5.Google Scholar
Kyllonen, P. C., Tirre, W. C. and Christal, R. E. (1991). Knowledge and processing speed as determinants of associative learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 120, 57–79. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.120.1.57.Google Scholar
Langbaum, J. B. S., Rebok, G. W., Bandeen-Roche, K. and Carlson, M. C. (2009). Predicting memory training response patterns: results from ACTIVE. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 64, 14–23. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbn026.Google Scholar
Lecce, S., Ceccato, I., Rosi, A., Bianco, F., Bottiroli, S. and Cavallini, E. (2017). Theory of mind plasticity in aging: the role of baseline, verbal knowledge, and executive functions. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 1–16. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09602011.2017.1308871.Google Scholar
Lövdén, M., Brehmer, Y., Li, S. C. and Lindenberger, U. (2012). Training-induced compensation versus magnification of individual differences in memory performance. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 6, 141. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00141.Google Scholar
McKitrick, L. A., Friedman, L. F., Brooks, J. O., Pearman, A., Kraemer, H. C. and Yesavage, J. A. (1999). Predicting response of older adults to mnemonic training: who will benefit? International Psychogeriatrics, 11, 289–300. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610299005852.Google Scholar
Neely, A. S. and Bäckman, L. (1995). Effects of multifactorial training in old age: generalizability across tasks and individuals. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 50, 134–140. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/50B.3.P134.Google Scholar
Park, D. C. and Festini, S. B. (2017). Theories of memory and aging: a look at the past and a glimpse of the future. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 72, 82–90. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbw066.Google Scholar
Pazzaglia, F., Palladino, P. and De Beni, R. (2000). Presentazione di uno strumento per la valutazione della memoria di lavoro verbale e sua relazione con i disturbi della comprensione [An instrument for the assessment of verbal working memory and its relation with comprehension difficulties]. Psicologia Clinicadello Sviluppo, 4, 465–486. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1449/608.Google Scholar
Rast, P. (2011). Verbal knowledge, working memory, and processing speed as predictors of verbal learning in older adults. Developmental Psychology, 47, 1490–1498. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023422.Google Scholar
Raven, J., Raven, J. C. and Court, J. H. (2003). Manual for Raven's Progressive Matrices and Vocabulary Scales, Section 3. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessment.Google Scholar
Salthaouse, T. A. (1993). Speed mediation of adult age differences in cognition. Developmental Psychology, 29, 722–783. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1991.tb00127.x.Google Scholar
Salthouse, T. A. (1996). The processing-speed theory of adult age differences in cognition. Psychological Review, 103, 403–428. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.103.3.403.Google Scholar
Sandberg, P., Rönnlund, M., Derwinger-Hallberg, A. and Stigsdotter Neely, A. (2016). Memory plasticity in older adults: cognitive predictors of training response and maintenance following learning of number-consonant mnemonic. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 4, 1–19. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09602011.2015.1046459.Google Scholar
Singer, T., Lindenberger, U. and Baltes, P. B. (2003). Plasticity of memory for new learning in very old age: a story of major loss? Psychology and Aging, 18, 306–317. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.18.2.306.Google Scholar
Thurstone, T. G. and Thurstone, L. L. (1963). Primary Mental Ability. Chicago, IL: Science Research Associates.Google Scholar
Verhaeghen, P. and Marcoen, A. (1996). On the mechanisms of plasticity in young and older adults after instruction in the method of loci: evidence for an amplification model. Psychology and Aging, 11, 164–178. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.11.1.164.Google Scholar
Yesavage, J. A., Sheikh, J. I., Friedman, L. and Tanke, E. (1990). Learning mnemonics: roles of aging and subtle cognitive impairment. Psychology and Aging, 5, 133. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037//0882-7974.5.1.133.Google Scholar