Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual reality
IntroductionAge-related decline in episodic memory performance in otherwise healthy older adults is indisputably evident. Yet, it has been shown that under certain conditions episodic memory performance in healthy older adults’ barely deviates from those seen in young adults. Here we report on the q...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1100057/full |
| _version_ | 1797884313683886080 |
|---|---|
| author | Marlon O. Pflueger Ralph Mager Marc Graf Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz |
| author_facet | Marlon O. Pflueger Ralph Mager Marc Graf Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz |
| author_sort | Marlon O. Pflueger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionAge-related decline in episodic memory performance in otherwise healthy older adults is indisputably evident. Yet, it has been shown that under certain conditions episodic memory performance in healthy older adults’ barely deviates from those seen in young adults. Here we report on the quality of object encoding in an ecologically valid, virtual-reality based memory assessment in a sample of healthy older and younger adults with comparable memory performance.MethodsWe analyzed encoding by establishing both a serial and semantic clustering index and an object memory association network.ResultsAs expected, semantic clustering was superior in older adults without need for additional allocation of executive resources whereas young adults tended more to rely on serial strategies. The association networks suggested a plethora of obvious but also less obvious memory organization principles, some of which indicated converging approaches between the groups as suggested by a subgraph analysis and some of which indicated diverging approaches as suggested by the respective network interconnectivity. A higher interconnectivity was observed in the older adults’ association networks.DiscussionWe interpreted this as a consequence of superior semantic memory organization (extent to which effective semantic strategies diverged within the group). In conclusion, these results might indicate a diminished need for compensatory cognitive effort in healthy older adults when encoding and recalling everyday objects under ecologically valid conditions. Due to an enhanced and multimodal encoding model, superior crystallized abilities might be sufficient to counteract an age-related decline in various other and specific cognitive domains. This approach might potentially elucidate age-related changes in memory performance in both healthy and pathological aging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:05:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0caaf797bf4846dbbcdaf6c4df1f6cdf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:05:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-0caaf797bf4846dbbcdaf6c4df1f6cdf2023-03-13T05:56:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652023-03-011510.3389/fnagi.2023.11000571100057Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual realityMarlon O. Pflueger0Ralph Mager1Marc Graf2Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz3University of Basel, Forensic Clinic of the University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Forensic Clinic of the University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Forensic Clinic of the University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, SwitzerlandIntroductionAge-related decline in episodic memory performance in otherwise healthy older adults is indisputably evident. Yet, it has been shown that under certain conditions episodic memory performance in healthy older adults’ barely deviates from those seen in young adults. Here we report on the quality of object encoding in an ecologically valid, virtual-reality based memory assessment in a sample of healthy older and younger adults with comparable memory performance.MethodsWe analyzed encoding by establishing both a serial and semantic clustering index and an object memory association network.ResultsAs expected, semantic clustering was superior in older adults without need for additional allocation of executive resources whereas young adults tended more to rely on serial strategies. The association networks suggested a plethora of obvious but also less obvious memory organization principles, some of which indicated converging approaches between the groups as suggested by a subgraph analysis and some of which indicated diverging approaches as suggested by the respective network interconnectivity. A higher interconnectivity was observed in the older adults’ association networks.DiscussionWe interpreted this as a consequence of superior semantic memory organization (extent to which effective semantic strategies diverged within the group). In conclusion, these results might indicate a diminished need for compensatory cognitive effort in healthy older adults when encoding and recalling everyday objects under ecologically valid conditions. Due to an enhanced and multimodal encoding model, superior crystallized abilities might be sufficient to counteract an age-related decline in various other and specific cognitive domains. This approach might potentially elucidate age-related changes in memory performance in both healthy and pathological aging.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1100057/fullvirtual-realityecological validityepisodic object memoryagingserial/semantic clusteringmemory association network |
| spellingShingle | Marlon O. Pflueger Ralph Mager Marc Graf Rolf-Dieter Stieglitz Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual reality Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience virtual-reality ecological validity episodic object memory aging serial/semantic clustering memory association network |
| title | Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual reality |
| title_full | Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual reality |
| title_fullStr | Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual reality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual reality |
| title_short | Encoding of everyday objects in older adults: Episodic memory assessment in virtual reality |
| title_sort | encoding of everyday objects in older adults episodic memory assessment in virtual reality |
| topic | virtual-reality ecological validity episodic object memory aging serial/semantic clustering memory association network |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1100057/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marlonopflueger encodingofeverydayobjectsinolderadultsepisodicmemoryassessmentinvirtualreality AT ralphmager encodingofeverydayobjectsinolderadultsepisodicmemoryassessmentinvirtualreality AT marcgraf encodingofeverydayobjectsinolderadultsepisodicmemoryassessmentinvirtualreality AT rolfdieterstieglitz encodingofeverydayobjectsinolderadultsepisodicmemoryassessmentinvirtualreality |