Episodic memory binds together diverse elements of an event into a cohesive unit. This property enables the reconstruction of multidimensional experiences when triggered by a cue related to a past event via pattern completion processes. Such holistic retrieval is evident in young adults, as shown by dependency in the retrieval success for different associations from the same event (Horner & Burgess, 2013, 2014). Aspects of episodic memory capacity are vulnerable to aging processes, as shown by reduced abilities to form linkages within an event through relational binding (associative deficit hypothesis: Naveh-Benjamin, 2002). However, prior work has not examined whether this reduction affects holistic retrieval in typical aging. Here, we leveraged dependency analyses to examine whether older adults remember or forget events holistically, and whether the degree of holistic retrieval declines with old age. We found evidence for continued holistic retrieval, because accuracy for one aspect of an event predicted accuracy for other aspects of the same event. Younger and older adults did not differ in the degree of holistic recollection, despite robust age-related differences in relational binding. However, within the group of older adults, holistic recollection showed a significant decline with advancing age, controlling for pairwise relational binding performance, verbal IQ, and general cognitive status. These results suggest that a decline in holistic retrieval is an aspect of episodic memory decrements later in cognitive aging.
Mid-life socioeconomic status, depressive symptomatology and general cognitive status among older adults: inter-relationships and temporal effects
