Prospective Memory in Everyday Life: Lapses and Decline in Relation to Inflammatory and Neurodegenerative Biomarkers in Older Adults

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PROJECT SUMMARY Prospective memory (PM) refers to memory for future intentions, such as attending an appointment or taking medication. Research suggests that, compared to other cognitive measures, PM deficits can better distinguish healthy older adults from those with mild cognitive impairment or in early stages of dementia. However, limited work has examined PM and biological correlates of pathological memory decline, such as inflammatory and neurodegenerative biomarkers. The proposed project will use unanalyzed data existing within the Einstein Aging Study (EAS) to examine older adults’ everyday PM lapses in association with markers of inflammation (Aim 1) and neurodegeneration (Aim 2) at cross-section and longitudinally. Analyses will also address the moderating effect of gender/sex in the proposed links between PM, inflammation, and neurodegeneration (Aim 3). Findings from the proposed project will advance our understanding of the biological underpinnings of PM. Additionally, findings will provide valuable insight into biological conditions related to inflammation and neurodegeneration that may explain when PM declines are indicative of cognitive impairment, as well as whether the hypothesized relationships differ by gender/sex.