The effects of aging on verbal short-term memory and word production capacities

The effects of aging on verbal short-term memory (STM) are still a matter of debate (e.g., Nilsson et al., 2003). Recent models of STM distinguish processes involved in the retention of item information (i.e., the identity of words) and order information (i.e., the order of presentation of items) (see Majerus, 2008, for a review). Finally, these models also incorporate relationships between STM and word production capacities, which are often impaired in aging (Burke et al., 1991). The aims of this study are (1) to explore the effects of aging on both item and order STM capacities, (2) to explore the effects of aging on naming capacities and (3) to explore the relationships between STM and naming in aging. Three groups of participants participated in the present study: (1) 56-64 years old (N=26) – (2) 65-74 years old (N=23) – (3) 75-84 years old (N=22). The participants' hearing thresholds were analyzed with a pure tone audiometer. The participants were asked to perform STM tasks and a picture naming task. The results confirm the presence of naming difficulties in participants above 65 years of age, as previously shown by Verhaegen and Poncelet (in press). By contrast, in STM, the differences become non significant when the hearing status is controlled for. However, the items are presented auditorily in all STM tasks. Therefore, in order to confirm the absence of age-related differences in STM, it would be of interest to assess the participants with visual STM tasks.