AGE DIFFERENCES ON TEST OF FRONTAL LOBE FUNCTION

该项目的重点是健康的年轻人和老年人之间的额叶功能的神经心理学测试的差异的认知过程。 先前的研究表明，这些测试中与年龄相关的下降幅度很大，并且有强有力的证据表明，工作记忆能力的变化可能在解释这些下降方面很重要。工作记忆需要同时保持和处理有关执行任务所需的刺激，反应和目标的信息的能力。 这里提出的主要假设是，老年人在工作记忆中更新信息的能力降低。 因此，他们可能对新输入的反应较弱，并且无法重新组织工作记忆中已有的信息以响应新信息。该研究项目包括一组17个实验，使用三种不同的额叶功能的神经心理学测试：延迟反应测试，自我排序指向测试和时间顺序记忆测试。 具体的实验有三个目的：（1）确定更新工作记忆能力的变化是否可以解释这些测试中的年龄差异;（2）确定更新过程的哪些方面对衰老最敏感;（3）排除其他解释。 本研究结果对于评估老年人的心理状况及设计最佳的环境有一定的应用价值。 然而，更直接的目标是提高我们对正常衰老的认知基础的认识。

This project focuses on the cognitive processes underlying differences between healthy younger and older adults on neuropsychological tests of frontal lobe functioning. Previous research has shown substantial age-related declines on these tests, and there is strong evidence that changes in working memory ability may be important in explaining these declines. Working memory entails the capacity to simultaneously hold and process information about stimuli, responses, and goals needed to carry out a task. The primary hypothesis set forth here is that older adults have a reduced ability to update information in working memory. Thus, they may be less responsive to new input and fail to re-organize information already in working memory in response to new information. This research project includes a set of 17 experiments using three different neuropsychological tests of frontal lobe function: delayed response tests, self-ordered pointing tests, and tests of memory for temporal order. Specific experiments have three aims: (1) to determine whether changes in the ability to update working memory can explain age differences on these tests, (2) to identify which aspects of the updating process are most sensitive to aging; and (3) to rule out alternative explanations. Results of this research have applications for evaluating the psychological status of the elderly and designing optimal environments for them. The more immediate goal, however, is to advance our knowledge of the cognitive basis of normal aging.