Retention of Multiple-Task Performance: Age-Related Differences

1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 128-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Sit ◽  
Arthur D. Fisk
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Complex Task ◽  
Processing Efficiency ◽  
Work Task ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Strategic Allocation ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Multiple Task ◽  
Synthetic Work

This study examined the relationship between retention of both multiple-task performance and the micro-components of a complex task. Young and older adults trained on a synthetic work task (Elsmore, 1994) with both groups acquiring skill in performing the complex task. After a five month retention period, older adults' initial performance on the multiple-task declined significantly more than younger adults. Both groups of adults regained their final trained level of performance after only four 5-minute trials. However, throughout the retention trials older adults only emphasized a single component of the complex task. Young adults successfully allocated attention to all task components. These and other aspects of the data suggest that a major locus of age-related decline in complex task performance is due to differential loss in strategic allocation of attention to component tasks. The data also show how measuring multiple-task performance may underestimate lack of component processing efficiency.

Age-Related Differences in Motivational Integration and Cognitive Control

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Marianne Yee ◽  
Sarah L Adams ◽  
Asad Beck ◽  
Todd Samuel Braver
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Monetary Reward ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cognitive Task Performance

Motivational incentives play an influential role in value-based decision-making and cognitive control. A compelling hypothesis in the literature suggests that the brain integrates the motivational value of diverse incentives (e.g., motivational integration) into a common currency value signal that influences decision-making and behavior. To investigate whether motivational integration processes change during healthy aging, we tested older (N=44) and younger (N=54) adults in an innovative incentive integration task paradigm that establishes dissociable and additive effects of liquid (e.g., juice, neutral, saltwater) and monetary incentives on cognitive task performance. The results reveal that motivational incentives improve cognitive task performance in both older and younger adults, providing novel evidence demonstrating that age-related cognitive control deficits can be ameliorated with sufficient incentive motivation. Additional analyses revealed clear age-related differences in motivational integration. Younger adult task performance was modulated by both monetary and liquid incentives, whereas monetary reward effects were more gradual in older adults and more strongly impacted by trial-by-trial performance feedback. A surprising discovery was that older adults shifted attention from liquid valence toward monetary reward throughout task performance, but younger adults shifted attention from monetary reward toward integrating both monetary reward and liquid valence by the end of the task, suggesting differential strategic utilization of incentives. Together these data suggest that older adults may have impairments in incentive integration, and employ different motivational strategies to improve cognitive task performance. The findings suggest potential candidate neural mechanisms that may serve as the locus of age-related change, providing targets for future cognitive neuroscience investigations.

Spatial memory in Canadian and Indian young and older adults: the effects of age, culture and cultural orientation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khushi Patel
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Cultural Orientation ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Performance Gains ◽  
The Relationship

Cross-cultural research suggests that individualistic Americans have a tendency to process focal objects; in contrast, collectivist Asians have a tendency to bind objects and context (Park & Huang, 2010). However, little is known whether the reported cultural differences are moderated by cultural orientation. In light of these results and the well-reported age-related decline in binding abilities, the current study examined cultural and age differences in cultural orientation, spatial memory and strategy use with young and older Canadian and Indian adults. There was little difference between Canadian and Indian participants’ cultural orientation. While cultural orientation did not moderate the relationship between culture and spatial memory, spatial memory and strategy use differed as a function of age. The use of context-specific strategies resulted in performance gains in older adults, however overall older adults had poor spatial memory, with Indian older adults scoring significantly lower than Canadian older adults on the courtyard task.

scholarly journals Auditory word recognition across the lifespan

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 119-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrike K. Blumenfeld ◽  
Scott R. Schroeder ◽  
Susan C. Bobb ◽  
Max R. Freeman ◽  
Viorica Marian
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Word Identification ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Auditory Word ◽  
Auditory Word Recognition ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Age Related Changes

Abstract Recent research suggests that bilingual experience reconfigures linguistic and nonlinguistic cognitive processes. We examined the relationship between linguistic competition resolution and nonlinguistic cognitive control in younger and older adults who were either bilingual or monolingual. Participants heard words in English and identified the referent among four pictures while eye-movements were recorded. Target pictures (e.g., cab) appeared with a phonological competitor picture (e.g., cat) and two filler pictures. After each eye-tracking trial, priming probes assessed residual activation and inhibition of target and competitor words. When accounting for processing speed, results revealed that age-related changes in activation and inhibition are smaller in bilinguals than in monolinguals. Moreover, younger and older bilinguals, but not monolinguals, recruited similar inhibition mechanisms during word identification and during a nonlinguistic Stroop task. Results suggest that, during lexical access, bilinguals show more consistent competition resolution and recruitment of cognitive control across the lifespan than monolinguals.

scholarly journals Exploring Early Detection of Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults: Evaluation of Oxi-Immune Markers, Clinical Parameters and Modifiable Risk Factors

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1975
Author(s):  
Armanda Teixeira-Gomes ◽  
Blanca Laffon ◽  
Vanessa Valdiglesias ◽  
Johanna M. Gostner ◽  
Thomas Felder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Immune Activation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clinical Parameters ◽  
Frailty Syndrome ◽  
Immune Markers ◽  
Frailty Phenotype ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Inflammatory Molecules ◽  
The Relationship

Ageing is accompanied with a decline in several physiological systems. Frailty is an age-related syndrome correlated to the loss of homeostasis and increased vulnerability to stressors, which is associated with increase in the risk of disability, comorbidity, hospitalisation, and death in older adults. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between frailty syndrome, immune activation, and oxidative stress. Serum concentrations of vitamins A and E were also evaluated, as well as inflammatory biomarkers (CRP and IL-6) and oxidative DNA levels. A group of Portuguese older adults (≥65 years old) was engaged in this study and classified according to Fried’s frailty phenotype. Significant increases in the inflammatory mediators (CRP and IL-6), neopterin levels, kynurenine to tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp), and phenylalanine to tyrosine ratio (Phe/Tyr), and significant decreases in Trp and Tyr concentrations were observed in the presence of frailty. IL-6, neopterin, and Kyn/Trp showed potential as predictable biomarkers of frailty syndrome. Several clinical parameters such as nutrition, dependency scales, and polypharmacy were related to frailty and, consequently, may influence the associations observed. Results obtained show a progressive immune activation and production of pro-inflammatory molecules in the presence of frailty, agreeing with the inflammageing model. Future research should include different dimensions of frailty, including psychological, social, biological, and environmental factors.

Contrasting Age Effects on Complexity of Tracking Force and Force Fluctuations During Monorhythmic Contraction

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-121
Author(s):  
Yi-Ching Chen ◽  
I-Chen Lin ◽  
Yen-Ting Lin ◽  
Wei-Min Huang ◽  
Chien-Chun Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Total Force ◽  
Force Component ◽  
Stochastic Force ◽  
Force Fluctuations ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Pursuit Tracking ◽  
Tracking Force

This study contrasted the stochastic force component between young and older adults, who performed pursuit tracking/compensatory tracking by exerting in-phase/antiphase forces to match a sinusoidal target. Tracking force was decomposed into the force component containing the target frequency and the nontarget force fluctuations (stochastic component). Older adults with inferior task performance had higher complexity (entropy across time; p = .005) in total force. For older adults, task errors were negatively correlated with force fluctuation complexity (pursuit tracking: r = −.527 to −.551; compensatory tracking: r = −.626 to −.750). Notwithstanding an age-related increase in total force complexity (p = .004), older adults exhibited lower complexity of the stochastic force component than young adults did (low frequency: p = .017; high frequency: p = .035). Those older adults with a higher complexity of stochastic force had better task performance due to the underlying use of a richer gradation strategy to compensate for impaired oscillatory control.

Sleep disturbances in adults with frailty and sarcopenia

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-107
Author(s):  
Reona Chiba ◽  
Yuki Ohashi ◽  
Akiko Ozaki
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Short Sleep Duration ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Several epidemiological studies have reported an age-related increase in the prevalence of sleep disturbances. This study aims to investigate the relationship between sleep and sarcopenia/frailty in older adults and clarify issues that remain to be addressed in future studies. Design/methodology/approach PubMed was searched for relevant studies with the following keywords in the title: “sleep” and “sarcopenia” or “sleep” and “frailty.” A total of 15 studies published in English between 1998 and 2018 were reviewed. Findings Among the four studies that examined the relationship between sarcopenia and sleep, two reported that long or short sleep duration increased the risk of sarcopenia and this association was more pronounced in women than men. Among the seven studies examining the relationship between frailty and sleep, four reported that higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were associated with an increased risk of frailty. Practical implications Most previous studies have focused on interventions targeting a single area such as muscle strength or exercise habits, in older adults at risk for frailty. The results suggest that interventions targeting improved sleep may positively impact the maintenance of muscle strength. Originality/value The literature review revealed that too much or too little sleep increases the risk of sarcopenia in older adults. Further, sleep deprivation, greater night-time wakefulness and reduced sleep quality increase the risk of frailty. Interestingly, the risk of mortality is increased in individuals with daytime functional disorders such as excessive drowsiness or napping habits.

Automation in the Home: The Development of an Appropriate System Representation and its Effects on Reliance

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (21) ◽  
pp. 1859-1862
Author(s):  
Julian Sanchez ◽  
Gina Calcaterra ◽  
Quan Q. Tran
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Appropriate Use ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Verification Tool ◽  
Age Related ◽  
System Representation ◽  
The Relationship

To achieve an appropriate level of reliance on an automated system, the operator must have an accurate system representation such that he/she is aware of the capabilities and limitations of the system. The appropriate use of an automated system can lead to optimal performance by the human-machine dyad. This study investigates the relationship between an accurate system representation and behaviors associated with human-automation interaction (e.g., reliance). Furthermore, age-related effects are also included in the investigation. A cooking memory aid (Cook's Collage) is used as an automated aid that keeps track of the ingredients used in a specific recipe. Participants are asked to interact with the automated device for 5 sessions (each on different days). Tasks are structured to simulate those in a real kitchen. Preliminary results suggest that that there is a different pattern of interaction with the aid as a function of age. Older adults tend to rely on the aid for real-time feedback while younger adults use the aid as a verification tool that they have executed the recipe as desired.

scholarly journals Age-Related Changes in the 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Versus Parathyroid Hormone Relationship Suggest a Different Reason Why Older Adults Require More Vitamin D

2003 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinhold Vieth ◽  
Yasmin Ladak ◽  
Paul G. Walfish
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Vitamin D ◽  
Secondary Hyperparathyroidism ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Hydroxyvitamin D ◽  
Age Related ◽  
25 Hydroxyvitamin D ◽  
The Relationship

Vitamin D requirements are thought to vary with age, but there is little comparative evidence for this. One goal in establishing a vitamin D requirement is to avoid secondary hyperparathyroidism. We studied 1741 euthyroid, thyroid clinic outpatients without evidence of calcium abnormalities, ranging in age from 19 to 97 yr, whose serum and urine had been analyzed for calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid status. We found no effect of age on the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration associated with specific vitamin D intakes, and there was no relationship between 25(OH)D and 1,25hydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D]. In every age group, serum 1,25(OH)2D declined with increasing creatinine (P < 0.001). What changed with age included creatinine, which correlated with 25(OH)D (r = 0.146, P < 0.001) only in the youngest age group (19–50 yr) but not in the older age groups (P > 0.1). Creatinine did not correlate with PTH in the youngest age group, but the relationship became significant as age increased (e.g. for the elderly, r = 0.365, P < 0.001). Linear regression of log PTH vs. log 25(OH)D agreed with the natural shape of the relationship observed with scatterplot smoothing, and this showed no plateau in PTH as 25(OH)D increased. We compared PTH concentrations among age groups, based on 20 nmol/liter increments in 25(OH)D. Mean PTH in adults older than 70 yr was consistently higher than in adults younger than 50 yr (P < 0.05 by ANOVA and Dunnett’s t test). PTH levels of the elderly who had 25(OH)D concentrations greater than 100 nmol/liter matched PTH of younger adults having 25(OH)D concentrations near 70 nmol/liter. This study shows that all age groups exhibit a high prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Older adults are just as efficient in maintaining 25(OH)D, but they need more vitamin D to produce the higher 25(OH)D concentrations required to overcome the hyperparathyroidism associated with their diminishing renal function.

Changes in the Performance of a Synthetic Work Task as a Function of Age, Gender, and Sleep Deprivation

1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Nesthus ◽  
Alfretia L. Scarborough ◽  
David J. Schroeder
Keyword(s):  
Performance Testing ◽  
Federal Aviation Administration ◽  
Sleep Loss ◽  
Female Group ◽  
Time Sharing ◽  
Work Task ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Stable Performance ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Synthetic Work

A 34-hour sleep-loss study was conducted as part of a larger Department of Transportation-Federal Aviation Administration (DOT/FAA) fatigue research program to assess the ability of traditional and innovative measures to track drowsiness and fatigue. Twenty-seven subjects were grouped by age and gender, and randomly paired for weekend testing. Performance testing using a synthetic work task was completed 4, 10, 16, 22, 28, and 34 hr after waking at 6 am. The pattern of significant effects indicated that performance changes were associated with age, gender, and sleep loss. Significant age differences were found across sessions for a number of measures. Generally, the younger group demonstrated better overall performance than the older group; however, the performance of the younger group declined across sessions while the older group's performance remained relatively stable. Like previous research, the complex, time-sharing, synthetic work-task may have contributed to the age group differences. Two simple cognitive and psychomotor tasks also used in this study showed a significant age-related difference in only one measure. A better tolerance to the sleep-loss condition may explain the stable performance of the older group across sessions. Gender differences occurred during the latter sessions for several measures. The younger female group demonstrated the most significant decline in task performance across the last three sessions, presumably due to sleep loss-induced fatigue.

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