title: Short term memory for single surface features and bindings in ageing: A replication study.
abstract: In the present study we replicated a previous experiment investigating visuo-spatial short term memory binding in young and older healthy individuals, in the attempt to verify the pattern of impairment that can be observed in normal elderly for short term memory for single items vs short term memory for bindings. Assessing a larger sample size (25 young and 25 older subjects), using a more appropriate measure of accuracy for a change detection task (A'), and adding the evaluation of speed of performance, we confirmed that old normals show a decline in short term memory for bindings of shape and colour that is of comparable extent, and not major, to the decline in memory for single shapes and single colours. The absence of a specific deficit of short term memory for conjunctions of surface features seems to distinguish cognitive ageing from Alzheimer's Disease.
authors.affiliation: DSTM, Milan Centre for Neurosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy; Neurology Unit, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy. Electronic address: valeria.isella@unimib.it.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Isella
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences and Movement, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Molteni
authors.affiliation: DSTM, Milan Centre for Neurosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy; Neurology Unit, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mapelli
authors.affiliation: DSTM, Milan Centre for Neurosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy; Neurology Unit, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrarese
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ageing; Memory binding; Short term memory