Memory Mood & Aging

描述（由申请人提供）：随着老年人数量的增加，有必要进行研究，以加强我们对认知技能中与年龄相关的规范变化的理解，这些变化是一个人在日常生活中独立运作的能力的基础。这一领域最重要的技能之一，也许也是最常与衰老相关的技能之一，就是记忆力。记忆能力在以后的生活中确实会受到影响，这种衰退通常归因于相关皮层结构的神经元丧失。然而，也有证据表明，与认知能力或神经元丧失无关的因素可能会影响记忆，并解释与年龄相关的表现差异。例如，研究表明，在某些测试情况下，对衰老的负面刻板印象可能会损害老年人的记忆表现。还有证据表明，老年人在晚年生活中会更有选择性地使用他们的记忆，以保存有限的认知资源。该研究将探索老年记忆功能的适应性方面，特别关注情绪在记忆功能中的作用。研究表明，处于积极或消极的情绪会影响在特定情况下使用的认知操作。也有证据表明，不同的情绪在不同的情况下会有不同程度的功能。因此，一个人理解情绪对功能影响的能力，以及以符合情境需求的方式调节情绪的能力，可能是适应功能的重要预测指标。有证据表明，主导情绪状态会随着年龄的增长而改变，而调节情绪的能力也会随着年龄的增长而提高。然而，也有证据表明，调节情绪的能力可能部分取决于随着年龄增长而下降的执行认知功能。这项研究的目的是研究情绪在决定记忆表现的年龄差异中的作用，以及情绪、调节情绪的能力和执行功能的规范年龄相关变化在多大程度上影响一个人使用记忆的能力。记忆是晚年生活中心理功能的一个重要方面，一个人的一般能力以及对能力的信念和看法与幸福感和心理健康的其他方面有关。了解影响记忆的情感因素对于更全面地了解这项重要的日常技能中与年龄相关的变化的本质是必要的。此外，对功能的一个特定方面（即情绪调节）的研究，随着年龄的增长而维持，并与记忆有关，可能会让我们深入了解与晚年独立功能相关的因素。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As the number of older adults increases, it is imperative that research be undertaken that will enhance our understanding of normative age-related variations in cognitive skills that underlie one's ability to function independently in everyday life. One of the most important skills in this area, and perhaps the one most often associated with aging-related decline, is memory. Memory skills do appear to suffer in later life, with this decrement typically attributed to neuronal loss in associated cortical structures. There is also evidence, however, that factors unrelated to cognitive ability or neuronal loss may influence memory and account for age-related variation in performance. For example, research has shown that negative stereotypes of aging may undermine older adults' memory performance in some test situations. There is also evidence of adaptive functioning in later life as older adults become more selective in how they use their memory in an attempt to conserve limited cognitive resources. The proposed research will explore these adaptive aspects of memory functioning in old age, with a particular focus on the role of mood on memory functioning. Being in a positive or negative mood has been shown to affect the cognitive operations used in a given situation. There is also evidence that different moods will have different levels of functionality across situations. Thus, one's ability to understand the impact of mood on functioning and to regulate mood in a manner consistent with situational demands may be an important predictor of adaptive functioning. There is some evidence that dominant mood states change with age, and that the ability to regulate moods also improves in later life. There is also evidence, however, that the ability to regulate mood may be determined in part by executive cognitive functions which decline with age. The goal of the proposed research is to examine the role of mood in determining age differences in memory performance, and the extent to which normative age-related variation in mood, the ability to regulate mood, and executive functions affects one's ability to use memory. Memory is an important aspect of psychological functioning in later life, with one's general ability as well as beliefs and perceptions about ability being associated with well-being and other aspects of mental health. An understanding of the affective factors influencing memory is necessary for gaining a more complete understanding of the nature of aging-related change in this important everyday skill. In addition, the examination of a particular aspect of functioning (i.e., mood regulation) that is maintained with age and that is associated with memory may give insight to factors associated with independent functioning in later life.