How to Become Smarter as You Get Dumber?
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Reader,
Let me share with you about this new study “Testing enhances subsequent learning in older adults”.
As we age, changes in our memory become noticeable. Generally, our ability to remember new information may decline, and we might experience difficulty recalling details from the past.
This natural aging process is known as age-related memory decline or age-associated memory impairment. However, it's important to note that not all aspects of memory are equally affected, and individuals may experience variations in their memory performance.
One significant factor that contributes to memory challenges in older adults is interference susceptibility. Interference susceptibility refers to the phenomenon where new information interferes with the recall of previously learned information, or vice versa. In other words, as we encounter new experiences and learn new things, our brain might struggle to distinguish and recall specific memories, leading to confusion and forgetfulness.
Interference can be proactive, occurring when previously learned information interferes with the recall of new information. It can also be retroactive, happening when recently learned information interferes with the retrieval of older memories. This susceptibility to interference is believed to play a major role in episodic memory impairment in healthy older adults.
In this study, researchers looked at how interference susceptibility affects memory in middle-aged and older adults (ages 40 to 79).
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They found that retrieval practice, where participants were tested immediately on some lists after studying them, improved memory recall and reduced interference from previous lists.
This effect was consistent across different age groups, suggesting that retrieval practice can help reduce memory problems in middle-aged and older adults.
This finding, along with other recent research, indicates that retrieval practice can be a powerful tool to enhance memory in older age.
Source - PsyArXiv Preprints | Testing enhances subsequent learning in older adults