title: Episodic memory deficits slow down the dynamics of cognitive procedural learning in normal ageing.
abstract: Cognitive procedural learning is characterised by three phases, each involving distinct processes. Considering the implication of episodic memory in the first cognitive stage, the impairment of this memory system might be responsible for a slowing down of the cognitive procedural learning dynamics in the course of ageing. Performances of massed cognitive procedural learning were evaluated in older and younger participants using the Tower of Toronto task. Nonverbal intelligence and psychomotor abilities were used to analyse procedural dynamics, while episodic memory and working memory were assessed to measure their respective contributions to learning strategies. This experiment showed that older participants did not spontaneously invoke episodic memory and presented a slowdown in the cognitive procedural learning associated with a late involvement of working memory. These findings suggest that the slowdown in the cognitive procedural learning may be linked with the implementation of different learning strategies less involving episodic memory in older participants.
authors.affiliation: Inserm-EPHE-Universite de Caen/Basse-Normandie, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beaunieux
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hubert
authors.forename: Anne Lise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pitel
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Desgranges
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eustache
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult