title: Executive functioning in normal aging: a study of action planning using the Zoo Map Test.
abstract: A particularly important aspect of executive functioning involves the ability to form and carry out complex plans, that is to say planning. This study aimed to investigate planning in 18 older and 16 younger normal participants using an ecological planning subtask derived from the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome test battery, the "Zoo Map Test." There are two trials. The first trial consists of a "high demand" version of the subtask in which the participants must plan in advance the order in which they will visit designated locations in a zoo (formulation level). In the second, or "low demand" version, the participant is simply required to follow a concrete externally imposed strategy to reach the locations to visit (execution level). The two-way ANOVAs mainly showed more difficulties in elderly adults than in younger adults, more difficulties in formulation level than in execution level, and lastly a greater difference between formulation and execution in older participants than in younger adults. These results suggest that elderly participants have some problems developing logical strategies whereas they are able to execute complex predetermined plans.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Research Center for Memory Disorders and Degenerating Diseases, University Hospital of Angers, France. PhAllain@chu-angers.fr
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allain
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicoleau
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pinon
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Etcharry-Bouyx
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barré
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berrut
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dubas
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Le Gall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008875:Middle Aged; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*