ABSTRACT
The present study evaluated the association between episodic memory, executive function and processing speed in a sample with different age ranges. We tested the hypothesis that processing speed, executive function and memory are more strongly associated during childhood and old age. We evaluated 571 participants, aged six to 92 years, divided into four age groups: children/adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults and older adults. Correlation analyses suggested that the shared variance between the processing speed and memory is strong in childhood but weak across other age ranges. Executive function, however, had a stronger association both in childhood and in old age, when compared with the intermediate stages. We conclude that the effects of processing speed and executive function on memory are not stable across human development. These functions may be compensatory mechanisms for memory functioning in childhood and old age.
Subject(s)
Cognition/physiology , Executive Function/physiology , Life Cycle Stages/physiology , Memory, Episodic , Spatial Memory/physiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aging/physiology , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Recall/physiology , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Reference Values , Time Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the association between episodic memory, executive function and processing speed in a sample with different age ranges. We tested the hypothesis that processing speed, executive function and memory are more strongly associated during childhood and old age. We evaluated 571 participants, aged six to 92 years, divided into four age groups: children/adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults and older adults. Correlation analyses suggested that the shared variance between the processing speed and memory is strong in childhood but weak across other age ranges. Executive function, however, had a stronger association both in childhood and in old age, when compared with the intermediate stages. We conclude that the effects of processing speed and executive function on memory are not stable across human development. These functions may be compensatory mechanisms for memory functioning in childhood and old age.
RESUMO O presente estudo avalia a associação entre velocidade de processamento, funções executivas e memória em uma amostra de diferentes faixas etárias. O estudo testa a hipótese de que a velocidade de processamento, as funções executivas e a memória apresentam associação mais forte na infância e na velhice. Avaliamos 571 participantes, com idade entre seis e 92 anos, divididos em quatro grupos etários: crianças/adolescentes, adultos jovens, adultos de meia-idade e idosos. Análises de correlação sugerem que a variância compartilhada entre velocidade de processamento e memória é forte na infância e fraca nas demais idades. Já as funções executivas apresentaram associação forte com a memória tanto na infância quanto na velhice, quando comparadas aos estágios intermediários. Concluímos que os efeitos da atenção sobre a memória variam em função da idade do participante. Essas funções podem ser mecanismos compensatórios para a memória ao longo do desenvolvimento.
