Adult age differences in prospective memory in the laboratory: Are they related to higher stress levels in the elderly?

Andreas Ihle; Matthias Kliegel; Alexandra Hering; Nicola Ballhausen; Prune Lagner; Julia Benusch; A Cichon; A Zergiebel; Michel Oris; Katharina Schnitzspahn

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.01021

Adult age differences in prospective memory in the laboratory: Are they related to higher stress levels in the elderly?

Andreas Ihle, Matthias Kliegel, Alexandra Hering, Nicola Ballhausen, Prune Lagner, Julia Benusch, A Cichon, A Zergiebel, Michel Oris, Katharina Schnitzspahn

Psychology

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Abstract

To explain age deficits found in laboratory-based prospective memory (PM) tasks, it has recently been suggested that the testing situation per se may be more stressful for older adults, thereby impairing their performance. To test this assumption, subjective and physiological stress levels were assessed at several times during the experiment in 33 younger and 29 older adults. In addition, half of participants were randomized in a condition where they completed a relaxation intervention before performing a time-based PM task. Results confirmed the age deficit in laboratory PM. Subjective and physiological stress levels showed no age difference and no detrimental association with PM. The intervention successfully reduced stress levels in both age groups but had no effect on PM or the age deficit. In conclusion, data suggest that age deficits usually observed in laboratory PM may not be due to higher stress levels in the older adults.

Original language	English
Article number	1021
Journal	Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Volume	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.01021
Publication status	Published - 23 Dec 2014

Keywords

prospective memory
age differences
laboratory testing situation
stress
relaxation

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10.3389/fnhum.2014.01021

Adult age differences in prospective memory in the laboratory
Copyright © 2014 Ihle, Kliegel, Hering, Ballhausen, Lagner, Benusch, Cichon, Zergiebel, Oris and Schnitzspahn. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution and reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
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abstract = "To explain age deficits found in laboratory-based prospective memory (PM) tasks, it has recently been suggested that the testing situation per se may be more stressful for older adults, thereby impairing their performance. To test this assumption, subjective and physiological stress levels were assessed at several times during the experiment in 33 younger and 29 older adults. In addition, half of participants were randomized in a condition where they completed a relaxation intervention before performing a time-based PM task. Results confirmed the age deficit in laboratory PM. Subjective and physiological stress levels showed no age difference and no detrimental association with PM. The intervention successfully reduced stress levels in both age groups but had no effect on PM or the age deficit. In conclusion, data suggest that age deficits usually observed in laboratory PM may not be due to higher stress levels in the older adults.",

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AU - Ihle, Andreas

AU - Kliegel, Matthias

AU - Hering, Alexandra

AU - Ballhausen, Nicola

AU - Lagner, Prune

AU - Benusch, Julia

AU - Cichon, A

AU - Zergiebel, A

AU - Oris, Michel

AU - Schnitzspahn, Katharina

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N2 - To explain age deficits found in laboratory-based prospective memory (PM) tasks, it has recently been suggested that the testing situation per se may be more stressful for older adults, thereby impairing their performance. To test this assumption, subjective and physiological stress levels were assessed at several times during the experiment in 33 younger and 29 older adults. In addition, half of participants were randomized in a condition where they completed a relaxation intervention before performing a time-based PM task. Results confirmed the age deficit in laboratory PM. Subjective and physiological stress levels showed no age difference and no detrimental association with PM. The intervention successfully reduced stress levels in both age groups but had no effect on PM or the age deficit. In conclusion, data suggest that age deficits usually observed in laboratory PM may not be due to higher stress levels in the older adults.

AB - To explain age deficits found in laboratory-based prospective memory (PM) tasks, it has recently been suggested that the testing situation per se may be more stressful for older adults, thereby impairing their performance. To test this assumption, subjective and physiological stress levels were assessed at several times during the experiment in 33 younger and 29 older adults. In addition, half of participants were randomized in a condition where they completed a relaxation intervention before performing a time-based PM task. Results confirmed the age deficit in laboratory PM. Subjective and physiological stress levels showed no age difference and no detrimental association with PM. The intervention successfully reduced stress levels in both age groups but had no effect on PM or the age deficit. In conclusion, data suggest that age deficits usually observed in laboratory PM may not be due to higher stress levels in the older adults.

KW - prospective memory

KW - age differences

KW - laboratory testing situation

KW - stress

KW - relaxation

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ER -

Adult age differences in prospective memory in the laboratory: Are they related to higher stress levels in the elderly?

Abstract

Keywords

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