Age-related effects on online and offline learning in visuo-spatial working memory

ABSTRACT

Learning results from online (within-session) and offline (between-sessions) changes. Heterogeneity of age-related effects in learning may be ascribed to aging differentially affecting these two processes. We investigated the contribution of online and offline consolidation in visuo-spatial working memory (vWM). Younger and older participants performed a vWM task on day one and after nine days, allowing us to disentangle online and offline learning effects. To test whether offline consolidation needs continuous practice, two additional groups of younger and older adults performed the same vWM task in between the two assessments. Similarly to other cognitive domains, older adults improved vWM through online (during session one) but not through offline learning. Practice was necessary to improve vWM between sessions in older participants. Younger adults instead exhibited only offline improvement, regardless of practice. The findings suggest that while online learning remains efficient in aging, practice is instead required to support more fragile offline mechanisms.

KEYWORDS:

• Visuo-spatial working memory
• online learning
• offline consolidation
• practice
• cognitive aging

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Cecilia Barlabà, Eleonora Malloggi and Nicoletta Romano for help in data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Trento e Rovereto (CARITRO).