1. Working Memory Functions in Healthy Elderly People: The Impact of Institutionalization and Advancing Age on Mnestic Efficiency.
- Author
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Fastame, MariaChiara and Cavallini, Elena
- Subjects
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OLDER people , *AGING , *ANALYSIS of variance , *COGNITION in old age , *COMPARATIVE studies , *DIAGNOSIS , *INSTITUTIONAL care , *MEMORY in old age , *HOME environment , *RESIDENTIAL patterns , *SENIOR housing , *EDUCATIONAL attainment , *INDEPENDENT living - Abstract
In nonpathological elders, cognitive decline is more evident by middle age and depends on different factors, such as speed of processing, nature of the task (i.e., storing versus processing), and type of stimuli (i.e., verbal versus visual and spatial) to be recalled. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of age and environmental factors (i.e., retirement home versus one's own home) on visuo-spatial working memory functions of healthy elderly (73 to 81 years old) and very old participants (83 to 90 years old). Results showed that visuo-spatial working memory processes in the institutionalized sample were comparable with those in free-living participants. A differential age effect was more evident for mnestic tasks involving the manipulation of stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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