NIH Toolbox^® Episodic Memory Measure Differentiates Older Adults with Exceptional Memory Capacity from those with Average-for-Age Cognition

Abstract

Objective: Older adults with exceptional memory function, designated “SuperAgers,” include individuals over age 80, with episodic memory at least as good as individuals ages 50s–60s. The Northwestern University SuperAging cohort is defined by performance on an established test of verbal memory. The purpose of this study was to determine if superior verbal memory extends to nonverbal memory in SuperAgers by examining differences in the National Institutes of Health Toolbox® (NIHTB) between older adults with exceptional memory and those with average-for-age cognition. Method: SuperAgers (n = 46) and cognitively average-for-age older adults (n = 31) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and the NIHTB Cognition module. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine differences on subtests between groups. Results: There was a significant effect of group on the Picture Sequence Memory score, (p = .007), such that SuperAgers had higher scores than cognitively average-for-age older adults. There were no other group effects across other non-episodic memory NIHTB Cognition measures. Conclusions: Findings from this study demonstrated stronger performance on the memory measure of the NIHTB in SuperAgers compared to cognitively average-for-age older adults demonstrating superior memory in not only verbal but also nonverbal episodic memory in this group. Additionally, this study adds to the literature validating the NIHTB in older adults, particularly in a novel population of adults over age 80 with exceptional memory.

Defining exceptional cognition in older adults: A systematic review of cognitive super‐ageing

“…68 Interestingly, analyses of the cognitive profiles of older adults with exceptional verbal episodic memory revealed that they also demonstrated better performance than average memory controls on measures of non-verbal episodic memory, working memory and attention but not across other domains including processing speed, executive function, language and visuospatial measures. 42,52 Verbal episodic memory is vulnerable to ageing but concentrating on exceptional performance in this or other single cognitive domains especially at a single time point may provide limited insight into processes of cognitive ageing in super-agers.…”