Auditory Evoked Potentials in Senescent Forgetfulness

Abstract

Two evoked potential (EP) techniques and the selective reminding test were employed to investigate an apparently benign forgetfulness in seven elderly subjects and seven age-matched elderly subjects with normal memory. EPs were also recorded in a group of seven young adults. Latency of the P3 component, which has been demonstrated to increase in primary degenerative dementia, displayed the normal age-related variation in both elderly groups, but did not differ between the forgetful subjects and the elderly controls. Further, no difference in the recovery cycle of the EP, as measured in a two tone stimulation paradigm, was present between forgetful and elderly control groups. Reexamination of memory after nearly a year disclosed no evidence of deterioration in either elderly group. These findings suggest that senescent forgetfulness, as defined herein, may be a nonprogressive memory disorder.