Cognitive efficiency modes in old age: performance on sequential and coordinative verbal and visuospatial tasks.

Full Abstract

In an experiment using a large set of verbal and spatial tasks requiring low or high degrees of executive control, 3 distinct age-related effects were found. The smallest effect (no slowing) was tied to lexical tasks with low executive involvement, the largest deficit (age-related slowing factor of 2.2) was tied to visuospatial tasks with high executive involvement, an intermediate level of deficit (slowing factor of 1.7) was found for visuospatial tasks with low executive load and verbal tasks with high executive load. These age-related dissociations were incompatible with any "common cause" formulation. The mechanism responsible for the dissociation between verbal and visual tasks, and between low and high executive load remains to be determined. The latter may reflect capacity limits.

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Author information

Author/s: Verhaeghen, Paul (P); Cerella, John (J); Semenec, Silvie C (SC); Leo, Melissa A (MA); Bopp, Kara L (KL); Steitz, David W (DW);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, New York 13244-2340, USA. pverhaeg(-atsign-)psych.syr.edu

Grants: AG-16201 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Psychology and aging (Psychol Aging), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Dec; vol 17 (issue 4) : pp 558-70

Dates: Created 2002/12/31; Completed 2003/04/01; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12507354, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aged
Aging - psychology
Cognition
Female

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