We compared the efficacy of two memory training schedules, adjusted spaced retrieval and uniform expanded retrieval, for learning a name-face association in 12 older adults with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nine training sessions were administered on alternate days for three weeks. Results yielded a positive effect of adjusted spaced retrieval on the proportion of correct recall trials and greater success in transferring the learned information to the live target, compared to the uniform expanded retrieval schedule. These data suggest that the spacing effect may underlie the memorial benefit of spaced retrieval. Implications for practical uses of spaced retrieval are considered.

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Purpose – This study aimed to investigate consumers' understanding of country of origin (CoO) information and its relative importance in the context of their everyday food purchase decisions. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional intercept survey of 402 consumers in two cities in New Zealand was conducted. Respondents were asked to describe what they had considered when selecting a food item in their trolley. This was followed by questions to assess respondents' knowledge of CoO and their use and understanding of common CoO labels. Findings – Price (42 per cent), taste (40 per cent), health (18 per cent), and quality (18 per cent) were the most important factors that respondents mentioned. Only 3.5 per cent of respondents mentioned CoO as one of the factors influencing their decision. Of respondents 61 per cent, when prompted, stated that they knew the CoO of the food product selected. Of these respondents, 90 per cent were correct. Of respondents 62 per cent stated that they look at CoO labels when making food purchase decisions. Yet, only one third of respondents correctly understood the difference between the “Made in” and “Product of” labels. Research limitations/implications – The findings suggest that consumers that do access CoO labels are misinterpreting this information which may form the basis of their assumptions about the source of origin of the brands and food products they routinely purchase. Practical implications – Mandatory CoO labelling policies may add costs and reinforce misconceptions that consumers already hold about the meaning of these labels. Originality/value – This study contributes to understanding of the extent to which consumers are competent in their knowledge and understanding of these informational labels.

In this article, we examined memory for pictures and words in middle-age (45-59 years), young-old (60-74 years), old-old (75-89 years) and the oldest-old adults (90-97 years) in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study. Stimulus items were presented and retention was tested in a blocked order where half of the participants studied 16 simple line drawings and the other half studied matching words during acquisition. Free recall and recognition followed. In the next acquisition/test block, a new set of items was used where the stimulus format was changed relative to the first block. Results yielded pictorial superiority effects in both retention measures for all age groups. Follow-up analyses of clustering in free recall revealed a greater number of categories were accessed (which reflects participants' retrieval plan) and more items were recalled per category (which reflects participants' encoding strategy) when pictures served as stimuli compared to words. Cognitive status and working memory span were correlated with picture and word recall. Regression analyses confirmed that these individual difference variables accounted for significant age-related variance in recall. These data strongly suggest that the oldest-old can utilize nonverbal memory codes to support long-term retention as effectively as do younger adults. KeywordsEpisodic memory; healthy aging; oldest-old; picture superiority effect; verbal recall Age-related declines in episodic memory are well documented in the cognitive aging literature (for reviews, Craik, 2000;Zacks, Hasher, & Li, 2000). Much of the prior work on memory aging consists of studies where younger (20s to 30s) and older adults (60s to 70s) were Address correspondence to Katie E. Cherry, Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-5501 (telephone: 225 578-8745, fax: 225 578-4125, email: pskatie@lsu.edu).. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Katie E. Cherry, Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-5501 (e-mail: pskatie@lsu.edu). . Other evidence has shown that demographic and life style variables influence the extent to which older adults benefit from cognitive support to enhance episodic memory (Hill, Wahlin, Winblad & Bäckman, 1995). These studies highlight the critical role of individual difference and task variables in episodic memory functioning in late life, consistent with a contextualist view of episodic memory (Bäckman, Mantyla, & Herlitz, 1990). NIH Public AccessOne issue that has received scant attention in studies of episodic memory in late adulthood is whether the oldest-old demonstrate pictorial superiority effects in retention. The pictorial superiority effect (PSE) refers to the finding that concrete items are better remembered when presented in a pictorial format than in a verbal format. Paivio (1971) advanced the dual-coding theory to explain the memorial advantage of pictures relative to their verbal referents. This theory holds that pictures can be dually represented i...

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We examined health-related quality of life in adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS) after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that made landfall on the United States Gulf Coast region in 2005. Analyses of pre- and post-disaster SF-36 scores yielded declines in physical function and bodily pain. Mental health scores were lower for women than men. Gender differences were observed in religious beliefs and religious coping, favoring women. Religious beliefs and religious coping were negatively correlated with physical function, implying that stronger reliance on religiosity as a coping mechanism may be more likely among those who are less physically capable.

In this study, college students and mental health professionals completed the Knowledge of Memory Aging Questionnaire, Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Test and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism before and after a lecture on normal and pathological memory issues in adulthood. Results confirmed that professionals were more knowledgeable about memory aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and less ageist than college students. Analyses of pre- and post-lecture response accuracy yielded comparable benefits in memory aging and AD knowledge for both groups. Correlation analyses provided modest evidence for the influence of ageist attitudes on the knowledge measures. Implications for memory education programs and psychology curriculum are considered.

Murabutide (MB) is a synthetic immunomodulator recognized by the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) receptor on mammalian cells. MB has previously been approved for testing in multiple human clinical trials to determine its value as an antiviral therapeutic, and as an adjuvant for injected vaccines. We have found a new use for this immunomodulator; it functions as a mucosal adjuvant that enhances immunogenicity of virus-like particles (VLP) administered intranasally. MB enhanced Norwalk virus (NV) VLP-specific IgG systemically and IgA production at distal mucosal sites following intranasal (IN) vaccination. A dose escalation study identified 100 µg as the optimal MB dosage in mice, based on the magnitude of VLP-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a and IgA production in serum and VLP-specific IgA production at distal mucosal sites. IN vaccination using VLP with MB was compared to IN delivery VLP with cholera toxin (CT) or gardiquimod (GARD) and to parenteral VLP delivery with alum; the MB groups were equivalent to CT and GARD and superior to alum in inducing mucosal immune responses and stimulated equivalent systemic VLP-specific antibodies. These data support the further testing of MB as a potent mucosal adjuvant for inducing robust and durable antibody responses to non-replicating subunit vaccines.