Comparable rest-related promotion of spatial memory consolidation in younger and older adults.
Flexible spatial navigation depends on cognitive mapping, a function that declines with increasing age. In young adults, a brief period of postnavigation rest promotes the consolidation and integration of spatial memories into accurate cognitive maps. We examined (1) whether rest promotes spatial memory consolidation and integration in older adults; and (2) whether the magnitude of the rest benefit changes with increasing age. Young and older adults learned a route through a virtual environment, followed by a 10-minute delay comprising either wakeful rest or a perceptual task, and a subsequent cognitive mapping task, requiring the pointing to landmarks from different locations. Pointing accuracy was lower in the older than younger adults. However, there was a comparable rest-related enhancement in pointing accuracy in the 2 age groups. Together our findings suggest that (1) the age-related decline in cognitive mapping cannot be explained by increased consolidation interference in older adults; and (2) as we grow older, rest continues to support the consolidation and integration of spatial memories.
Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK; Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Electronic address: m.craig@hw.ac.uk.
Michael
M
Craig
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Aging and Cognition Research Group, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Thomas
T
Wolbers
Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Mathew A
MA
Harris
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Aging and Cognition Research Group, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Patrick
P
Hauff
Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Sergio
S
Della Sala
Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Michaela
M
Dewar
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000069077:Memory Consolidation / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
Cognitive map; Long-term memory; Memory consolidation; Spatial memory; Spatial navigation; Wakeful rest
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