Inhibitory Mechanisms and the Control of Attention

Hasher, Lynn; Lustig, Cindy; Zacks, Rose T.

doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195168648.003.0009

Cited by 363 publications

(561 citation statements)

References 126 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

473

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This is consistent with findings that distracting stimuli or stimuli that interrupt goal-directed processing impose higher performance costs in ageing than in younger individuals (Clapp, Rubens, Sabarwal, & Gazzaley, 2011;Clapp & Gazzaley, 2012). Deficits in distractor disengagement with ageing would also be expected according to Hasher et al (2007) framework that proposes three critical inhibitory functions compromised in ageing (i) to implement control over prepotent response tendencies (ii) to prevent access of irrelevant items and, crucially, (iii) to delete information that has been attended but that it is no longer relevant.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 88%

How ageing changes the mnemonic bias of visual behaviour

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ageing is associated with deficits in cognitive control, including attention and working memory processes. However, how ageing influences the interactions between these cognitive systems is not well understood. The present study compared the oculomotor behavior and search performance of two different age groups in a well established memory-guided visual selection paradigm. The results show that ageing can lead to impairments in the way memory representations bias the control of attention, which notably dissociate in the early stages of oculomotor orientation in search and the later process of attentional disengagement from memory distracters. The implications of these findings for theories of cognitive ageing are discussed.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 88%

How ageing changes the mnemonic bias of visual behaviour

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is certainly the case that alternative, overlapping conceptualizations of working memory abound (e.g., working memory and inhibition may be seen as interdependent processes or that working memory may be seen as reflecting limitations in the ability to limit the processing of irrelevant information (Hasher, Lustig, & Zacks, 2007). However, the conception of working memory capacity as a domain general attentional resource limitation is the one that seems dominant in the literature on the working memory training effects considered here.…”

Section: The Nature Of Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 94%

Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review.

Melby‐Lervåg

Hulme

2013

Developmental Psychology

1,543

1,138

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

It has been suggested that working memory training programs are effective both as treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other cognitive disorders in children and as a tool to improve cognitive ability and scholastic attainment in typically developing children and adults. However, effects across studies appear to be variable, and a systematic meta-analytic review was undertaken. To be included in the review, studies had to be randomized controlled trials or quasi-experiments without randomization, have a treatment, and have either a treated group or an untreated control group. Twenty-three studies with 30 group comparisons met the criteria for inclusion. The studies included involved clinical samples and samples of typically developing children and adults. Meta-analyses indicated that the programs produced reliable short-term improvements in working memory skills. For verbal working memory, these near-transfer effects were not sustained at follow-up, whereas for visuospatial working memory, limited evidence suggested that such effects might be maintained. More importantly, there was no convincing evidence of the generalization of working memory training to other skills (nonverbal and verbal ability, inhibitory processes in attention, word decoding, and arithmetic). The authors conclude that memory training programs appear to produce short-term, specific training effects that do not generalize. Possible limitations of the review (including age differences in the samples and the variety of different clinical conditions included) are noted. However, current findings cast doubt on both the clinical relevance of working memory training programs and their utility as methods of enhancing cognitive functioning in typically developing children and healthy adults.

show abstract

“…EF relies heavily on the frontal lobes which are known to be highly vulnerable to the aging process, with marked changes in physiology and anatomy of these areas in the elderly (Bugg, DeLosh, & Clegg, 2006). Hackney, (1998) andWest, Murphy, Armilio, Craik, andStuss (2002) also reported TOD effects on inhibitory tasks in the elderly.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Time of day and caffeine influence some neuropsychological tests in the elderly.

Walters¹,

Lesk²

2015

Psychological Assessment

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We report that performance on neuropsychological tests used in the diagnosis of dementia can be influenced by external factors such as time of day (TOD) and caffeine. This study investigates TOD effects on cognitive performance in the elderly. The optimal TOD at which an individual is at their maximal arousal alters with age and in the elderly typically occurs in the morning. Neuropsychological test scores from healthy elderly participants were analysed to determine whether TOD affected performance. Interactions between caffeine and TOD were also investigated. Across two data sets that were analysed, significant TOD effects were noted for Pattern Comparison Speed (PCS), Letter Comparison Speed (LCS), Trail Making Test Part A, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Graded NamingTest (GNT), revealing a decline in test scores as TOD increases. Significant interactions between TOD, age and the PCS, LCS and Trail Making part A were noted in data set one. In data set two, where caffeine intake had been controlled for, significant interactions between caffeine, TOD and scores on the MMSE and GNT were found. The TOD and caffeine effects highlight the need to control for these external factors when scoring the assessments. This conclusion has implications for the clinical procedure of diagnosis and treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's.

show abstract

Inhibitory Mechanisms and the Control of Attention

Cited by 363 publications

References 126 publications

How ageing changes the mnemonic bias of visual behaviour

How ageing changes the mnemonic bias of visual behaviour

Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review.

Time of day and caffeine influence some neuropsychological tests in the elderly.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About