Age-related change in visual information processing: Toward a unified theory of aging and visual memory

Abstract

Memory for semantic information is relatively preserved through the normal aging process. Visuospatiai memory remains less intact. In the present article a theory is proposed that links this processing difference to normal age-related generalized cognitive slowing, and to the appearance of specific age-related differences in memory performance. Evidence for these suggestions is presented from work in four areas: mental rotation, spatial memory, paired-associates learning, and free recall. Cognitive performance in young and older respondents is shown to vary predictably with systematic variation of visuospatial and semantic stimulus factors consistent with these hypotheses. A further test of these ideas derives from the development of a clinically useful mnemonic system for older adults that is based on these principles. Taken together, this research indicates that much of the deficit observed in the memory performance of older adults may derive not from memory problems per se, but rather from the action of generalized cognitive slowing, which contributes to diminished abilities to represent and process visual images. This series of findings may provide a framework for understanding a wide variety of the processes involved in aging and visual memory, and for the creation of applications to aid the memory of older adults.

Effects of Mental Activity on Hand Skill Rate Performance Ability among Second Grader Medical Students

“…The idea, rooted in neural network theory, holds that aging results from the random breaking of "links," resulting in diminished reaction times [14]. On the contrary, the increased reaction times or performances may result from the creation of new "links" between neurons.…”

Relational frameworks for recall in young and older adults

“…It was further suggested that the establishment of a prior framework for recall, based on relational information, would reduce this effect significantly. This prediction was also confirmed.Recent research indicates the presence of an age-related diminution in the ability to process pictorial information (Sharps and Gollin, 1987a;Sharps, 1990Sharps, , 1997aDror and Kosslyn, 1994; but see also Hertzog et al, 1993). The active processing of imageric information requires the respondent to deal with numerous item-specific details, and would therefore be expected to diminish with age, since such activity involves significant mental effort and considerable reliance on self-initiated processing (Craik, 1986;Craik and Jennings, 1992).…”

“…A recent theory (Sharps, 1997a) has sought to explain these phenomena within the framework of the generalized cognitive slowing characteristic of the aging process (Birren et al, 1962;Cerella, 1990). Briefly, this theory holds that such slowing is largely random with reference to specific brain structures and functions, depending as it does upon accidental disruptions of links within the brain itself (Cerella, 1990).…”

“…Therefore, relational information can theoretically be processed in terms of fewer specific traces, and consequently with less involvement of cognitive resources, than pictorial information. Since these resources are held to be negatively influenced by the gradual collective neural asynchrony of the aging process, the age-related difference in the processing of pictorial andrelational information can readily be understood: the processing of relational information is less affected by asynchrony, and should therefore be generally easier than the processing of pictorial information in older adults (Sharps, 1997a).…”

“…Againl no. Abundant evidence (Waddell and Rogoff, 1981;Gollin, 1987, 1988;Sharps, 1991Sharps, , 1997aCraik and Jennings, 1992;Sharps and Price-Sharps, 1996;Sharps and Antonelli, 1997) indicates that older adults can use pictorial information and item-specific detail mnemonically, if such detail is provided directly by the encoding environment. This may seem paradoxical: how can older people use pictorial detail to enhance recall if they suffer from an age-related picture-processing deficit?…”