Benefit from retrieval practice is linked to temporal and frontal activity in healthy young and older humans

Abstract

Retrieval practice improves retention of information in long-term memory more than restudy, but the underlying neural mechanisms of this “Retrieval Practice Effect” (RPE) remain little understood. Therefore, we investigated the behavioral and neural differences between previously retrieved versus re-studied items at final retrieval. Thirty younger (20–30 years old) and 25 older (50+ years old) adults learned familiar and new picture stimuli either through retrieval, or restudy. At final recognition, hemodynamic activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Behaviorally, younger and older adults showed similar benefits of retrieval practice, with higher recollection, but unchanged familiarity rates. In a univariate analysis of the fMRI data, activation in medial prefrontal cortex and left temporal regions correlated with an individual’s amount of behavioral benefit from retrieval practice, irrespective of age. Compatible with this observation, in a multivariate representational similarity analysis (RSA), retrieval practice led to an increase in pattern similarity for retested items in a priori defined regions of interest, including the medial temporal lobe, as well as prefrontal and parietal cortex. Our findings demonstrate that retrieval practice leads to enhanced long-term memories in younger and older adults alike, and this effect appears to be driven by fast consolidation processes.

Differential effects of expectancy on memory formation in young and older adults

“…This could be due to the unpleasant nature of the MRI environment and distracting scanner noise as underlined by studies showing that noise can have negative effects on cognitive performance (Jafari et al, 2019) and brain activity (Jafari et al, 2019; Tomasi et al, 2005). Additionally, and as argued before (Guran et al, 2022), slightly different inclusion and exclusion criteria may have led to a more specific sample of healthy and high‐functioning older adults in the fMRI as compared to the EEG study.…”

“…Additionally, and as argued before (Guran et al, 2022), slightly different inclusion and exclusion criteria may have led to a more specific sample of healthy and high-functioning older adults in the fMRI as compared to the EEG study.…”

Prática da Lembrança: Perspectivas Teóricas e a Hipótese do Aprendizado Baseado na Simulação Construtiva

“…Desta forma, a partir da hipótese do contexto episódico, pode ser derivada a predição de que quando itens são benefi ciados pela prática da lembrança, os contextos associados a estes itens também serão benefi ciados. Contudo, enquanto diversos trabalhos empíricos e teóricos interpretam seus achados com base na hipótese do contexto episódico (Bencze et al, 2022;Dikmans et al, 2020;Guran et al, 2022;Hausman & Rhodes, 2018;Peng et al, 2019;Su et al, 2021), são mais os escassos estudos cujo objetivo é testar diretamente as predições dessa hipótese (Akan et al, 2018;Chang et al, 2019;Hong et al, 2019;Lehman et al, 2014;Liu et al, 2017;Schwoebel et al, 2018;Whiff en & Karpicke, 2017).…”

“…Há evidências do papel de regiões da rede de modo padrão na prática da lembrança, em especial o córtex pré-frontal medial, que demonstra uma maior atividade (Guran et al, 2022;Wing et al, 2013) e interconectividade com outras regiões da rede (Wing et al, 2013) para os itens lembrados em comparação com os esquecidos. O córtex pré-frontal medial também demonstrou maior desativação durante o feedback corretivo após a prática da lembrança para os itens posteriormente lembrados em comparação com os esquecidos (Gilmore et al, 2018).…”