Rates of information-transfer in elderly subjects

Abstract

The maximum rate of information acceptance (MIA) of approximately 185 elderly Ss (60-90 years) was assessed for 3 perceptual tasks of graded difficulty. Results were compared with those of a control group of 42 young adults. MIA was found to be lower in elderly persons than in young adults, and to decline consistently through the seventh, eighth and ninth decades. The rate of decline was greater with perceptual material of an unfamiliar nature, and where the information has to be accepted from more than 1 source simultaneously. Although the average performance of elderly Ss was consistently lower than that of younger persons, the range of scores was such that, except in the most difficult situations, some elderly Ss achieved results well ahead of the younger average. MIA calculated in this manner was closely correlated with the WAIS scaled score totals, and with the sub-test totals, especially those in the Performance section. The effectiveness of much, if not all, cognitive function may be limited by rate of information acceptance.

A basic information psychological parameter (BIP) for the reconstruction of concepts of intelligence

“…The approach of Harwood and Naylor (1969), when determining the so-called MIA (Maximum Rate of Information Acceptance) was very different. Their method of testing enabled the subjects to present to themselves a stimulus which remained as long as they kept a finely balanced switch depressed.…”

“…With digits (repertoire 1-9) the means were similar (2 = 23.5, 15.2, 13.9, and 11.7 bids, respectively). Harwood and Naylor (1969) measured not only the time between stimulus and reaction, but also the amount of stimulus information. This is the precondition for the more striking observation that the results (in bit/s) are numerically equal although the repertoires of signs differ.…”

The golden mean as clock cycle of brain waves

“…Bennett (confirmed by Flinn [31]) accomplished a Fourier transformation of the original data and found that high IQ subjects (IQ above 123) go through 20 or more perceptual moments per second, low IQ subjects (IQ below 75) only through 8 moments or even less (compare Table 1, columns b and d). This striking parallelism between EEG results and channel capacity, measured with mental tests, is emphasised by results from Harwood and Naylor [32]. About 42 young university students had a mean channel capacity of 21.4 bits/s; 105 ''average normal'' adults who were 60-69 years old performed 14.2 bits/s; the age group of 70-79 years (sample size was 67) achieved 12.9 bits/s; and 13 subjects being 80 years and older 10.2 bits/s, thus reflecting the usual decline of mental performance of old aged people.…”

The relationship between short-term memory capacity and EEG power spectral density

“…Bennett (confirmed by Flinn et al 1977) accomplished a fourier transformation of the original data and found that high IQ subjects (IQ above 123) go through 20 or more perceptual moments per second, low IQ subjects (IQ below 75) only through 8 moments or even less (compare Table 3, columns b and d). This striking parallelism between EEG results and channel capacity, measured with mental tests, is emphasised by results from Harwood and Naylor (1969). Their subjects were confronted with stimuli of defined information entropy (digits between 1 and 9 and numbers between 1 and 32 presented single or in groups).…”