How older adults use cognition in sentence-final word recognition

Abstract

This study examined the effects of executive control and working memory on older adults' sentence-final word recognition. The question we addressed was the importance of executive functions to this process and how it is modulated by the predictability of the speech material. To this end, we tested 173 neurologically intact adult native English speakers aged 55-84 years. Participants were given a sentence-final word recognition test in which sentential context was manipulated and sentences were presented in different levels of babble, and multiple tests of executive functioning assessing inhibition, shifting, and efficient access to long-term memory, as well as working memory. Using a generalized linear mixed model, we found that better inhibition was associated with higher accuracy in word recognition, while increased age and greater hearing loss were associated with poorer performance. Findings are discussed in the framework of semantic control and are interpreted as supporting a theoretical view of executive control which emphasizes functional diversity among executive components.

Predictors of Hearing-Aid Outcomes

“…The aspects in question are uncertain. Perhaps, age represents cognitive decline different from working memory capacity, such as processing speed ( Salthouse, 1996 ) or attention ( Craik & Byrd, 1982 ), both of which might affect performance in demanding speech-in-noise situations (e.g., Cahana-Amitay et al., 2016 ; Oberfeld & Klöckner-Nowotny, 2016 ). Alternatively, age might represent temporal processing deficits not captured by the temporal processing predictors employed here.…”

Exploring the Link Between Cognitive Abilities and Speech Recognition in the Elderly Under Different Listening Conditions

“…Other studies have identified an influence of attentional abilities on speech-in-noise recognition in young normal-hearing (Oberfeld and Klöckner-Nowotny, 2016 , age range: 18–30 years) and in elderly participants. In the elderly, participants with a wide range of hearing thresholds (Cahana-Amitay et al, 2016 , age-range: 55–84 years) as well as groups with mild hearing loss without aiding (Heinrich et al, 2015 , age range: 50–74 years) or mild-to-moderate hearing-impaired hearing aid wearers were examined (Heinrich et al, 2016 , age range: 50–74 years). The results indicate that the relationship between attention and speech recognition is to this extent independent of age and hearing loss.…”

Verbal working memory and inhibition‐concentration in adults with cochlear implants

“…In particular, these skills include the general capacity of WM, controlled fluency (the ability to process stimuli rapidly under concentration demands), 22 and inhibition-concentration (the ability to concentrate on information relevant to the task while suppressing prepotent or automatic responses not relevant to the task). 23 In particular, support for the role of inhibition-concentration in speech recognition comes from studies demonstrating that a reduction in older adults' ability to ignore task-irrelevant information is an important contributor to their difficulty recognizing words in noise. 4,24,25 Inhibitory processes may also facilitate the identification of correct lexical items and inhibit incorrect responses.…”