Aging and n-Back Performance: A Meta-Analysis

Bopp, Kara L.; Verhaeghen, Paul

doi:10.1093/geronb/gby024

Cited by 69 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…If the only constraint on performance is imposed by the limited-capacity of individual components of the working memory system, which titration is assumed to correct for, older adults should be able store at least 2-3 items at a time. Bopp and Verhaeghen's (2018) finding that age-related differences remained stable over values of n from 2-back onwards, suggests that the constraint is not working memory load per se, but rather the involvement of focus switching processes. Thus, it appears that titration does play a role in reducing age differences, but the theoretical insight this reduction provides into the functional underpinnings of working memory remains unclear.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Adult age differences in the effects of processing on storage in working memory: A meta-analysis.

Jaroslawska¹,

Rhodes²

2019

Psychology and Aging

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Normal adult aging is known to be associated with lower performance on tasks assessing the short-term storage of information. However, whether or not there are additional age-related deficits associated with concurrent storage and processing demands within working memory remains unclear. Methodological differences across studies are considered critical factors responsible for the variability in the magnitude of the reported age effects. Here we synthesized comparisons of younger and older adults' performance on tasks measuring storage alone against those combining storage with concurrent processing of information. We also considered the influence of task-related moderator variables. Meta-analysis of effect sizes revealed a small but disproportionate effect of processing on older adults' memory performance. Moderator analysis indicated that equating single task storage performance across age groups (titration) and the nature of the stimulus material were important determinants of memory accuracy. Titration of storage task difficulty was found to lead to smaller, and non-significant, age-differences in dual task costs. These results were corroborated by supplementary Brinley and state-trace analyses. We discuss these findings in relation to the extant literature and current working memory theory as well as possibilities for future research to address the residual heterogeneity in effect sizes. (194 words)

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Adult age differences in the effects of processing on storage in working memory: A meta-analysis.

Jaroslawska¹,

Rhodes²

2019

Psychology and Aging

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“…In this study, the 0-back, 1-back, and 2-back tests were administered. The 0-back test is essentially a memory search task of sustained attention and often used as a control condition (Miller et al, 2009;Bopp and Verhaeghen, 2018). The 1-back test requires the participant to passively store and update information in working memory.…”

Section: N-back Testmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reliability of P3 Event-Related Potential During Working Memory Across the Spectrum of Cognitive Aging

Devos

Burns

Liao

et al. 2020

Front. Aging Neurosci.

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Event-related potentials (ERPs) offer unparalleled temporal resolution in tracing distinct electrophysiological processes related to normal and pathological cognitive aging. The stability of ERPs in older individuals with a vast range of cognitive ability has not been established. In this test-retest reliability study, 39 older individuals (age 74.10 (5.4) years; 23 (59%) women; 15 non β-amyloid elevated, 16 β-amyloid elevated, 8 cognitively impaired) with scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) ranging between 3 and 30 completed a working memory (n-back) test with three levels of difficulty at baseline and 2-week follow-up. The main aim was to evaluate stability of the ERP on grand averaged task effects for both visits in the total sample (n = 39). Secondary aims were to evaluate the effect of age, group (non β-amyloid elevated; β-amyloid elevated, cognitively impaired), cognitive status (MOCA), and task difficulty on ERP reliability. P3 peak amplitude and latency were measured in predetermined channels. P3 peak amplitude at Fz, our main outcome variable, showed excellent reliability in 0back (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), 95% confidence interval = 0.82 (0.67-0.90) and 1-back (ICC = 0.87 (0.76-0.93), however, only fair reliability in 2-back (ICC = 0.53 (0.09-0.75). Reliability of P3 peak latencies was substantially lower, with ICCs ranging between 0.17 for 2-back and 0.54 for 0-back. Generalized linear mixed models showed no confounding effect of age, group, or task difficulty on stability of P3 amplitude and latency of Fz. By contrast, MOCA scores tended to negatively correlate with P3 amplitude of Fz (p = 0.07). We conclude that P3 peak amplitude, and to lesser extent P3 peak latency, provide a stable measure of electrophysiological processes in older individuals.

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“…Older age is associated with reduced working memory capacity in general (cf. Bopp and Verhaeghen, 2018 for a recent meta-analysis). More specifically, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that the aging-related deficit in working memory is larger for item manipulation than for item maintenance (e.g., Li et al, 2008 ) and that maintenance of items in working memory is relatively spared in old age unless the amount of distraction or working memory load are increased (e.g., Gazzaley et al, 2007 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… Owen et al, 2005 for meta-analysis) and age-related differences in working memory performance ( Kirchner, 1958 ; cf. Bopp and Verhaeghen, 2018 ) is the n -back task. In line with the theoretical framework of multiple-embedded components of working memory ( Cowan, 2001 ; Oberauer, 2002 ; Oberauer and Hein, 2012 ), previous research has shown that the necessity of switching attentional focus with increasing n -back load reduces the n -back performance level more strongly in older compared to younger adults, but with different effects on the accuracy and speed of working memory: With increasing n -back load age differences in accuracy increase, whereas age differences in response time seem to remain relatively stable (e.g., Dobbs and Rule, 1989 ; Verhaeghen and Basak, 2005 ; Vaughan et al, 2008 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing Effects of Reward Anticipation on Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults

Thurm

Zink

2018

Front. Psychol.

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Goal-directed behavior requires sufficient resource allocation of cognitive control processes, such as the ability to prioritize relevant over less relevant information in working memory. Findings from neural recordings in animals and human multimodal imaging studies suggest that reward incentive mechanisms could facilitate the encoding and updating of context representations, which can have beneficial effects on working memory performance in young adults. In order to investigate whether these performance enhancing effects of reward on working memory processes are still preserved in old age, the current study aimed to investigate whether aging alters the effects of reward anticipation on the encoding and updating mechanisms in working memory processing. Therefore, a reward modulated verbal n-back task with age-adjusted memory load manipulation was developed to investigate reward modulation of working memory in younger (age 20–27) and older (age 65–78) adults. Our results suggest that the mechanism of reward anticipation in enhancing the encoding and updating of stimulus representations in working memory is still preserved in old age. EZ-diffusion modeling showed age distinct patterns of reward modulation of model parameters that correspond to different processes of memory-dependent decision making. Whereas processes of memory evidence accumulation and sensorimotor speed benefited from reward modulation, responses did not become more cautious with incentive motivation for older adults as it was observed in younger adults. Furthermore, individual differences in reward-related enhancement of decision speed correlated with cognitive processing fluctuation and memory storage capacity in younger adults, but no such relations were observed in older adults. These findings indicate that although beneficial effects of reward modulation on working memory can still be observed in old age, not all performance aspects are facilitated. Whereas reward facilitation of content representations in working memory seems to be relatively preserved, aging seems to affect the updating of reward contexts. Future research is needed to elucidate potential mechanisms for motivational regulation of the plasticity of working memory in old age.

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Aging and n-Back Performance: A Meta-Analysis

Cited by 69 publications

References 74 publications

Adult age differences in the effects of processing on storage in working memory: A meta-analysis.

Adult age differences in the effects of processing on storage in working memory: A meta-analysis.

Reliability of P3 Event-Related Potential During Working Memory Across the Spectrum of Cognitive Aging

Comparing Effects of Reward Anticipation on Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults

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