Free Recall and Recognition of Slowly and Rapidly Presented Words in Very Old Age: A Community-Based Study

Abstract

This study addressed the effects of study time on episodic recall and recognition of words in a community-based sample of healthy older adults ranging from 75 to 96 years of age (N = 221). Results indicated a slight but reliable age-related deterioration of free-recall performance that was attributable to age deficits in secondary memory. The size of the age-related impairment in recognition was reduced relative to that in recall. As well, for all age groups, recall and recognition were higher when items were slowly as opposed to rapidly presented, indicating proficient utilization of study time in very old age. Finally, multiple regression analyses indicated that, although a variety of demographic (i.e., age and education), psychometric (i.e., Mini-Mental State Exam [MMSE] and Block Design scores), and biological (i.e., thyroid-stimulating hormone) variables were related to free-recall performance, only Block Design and MMSE scores made independent contributions to recognition performance.