Effects of Vascular Risk on Item and Associative Memory Performance in Cognitively Normal Older Adults

Abstract

Background: This study investigates the relationship between global vascular risk and item and associative memory performance in older adults, while also examining hypotheses regarding age-related effects on memory. Method: A total of 328 cognitively healthy older adults, aged between 60 and 90 years (mean age = 70.88; SD = 5.96), participated in the study. The study employed the Item and Associative Memory Task, using face-name stimuli with a recognition procedure involving intentional encoding. Global vascular risk was calculated using a point-based scoring system. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA revealed performance differences between the memory tasks, with the lowest performance on associative memory and superior memory for names compared to faces. Three separate multiple linear regression analyses examining the influence of global vascular risk on memory performance, did not reach significance. A trend was observed for predicting associative memory, however this was attributed to the individual predictor age. Conclusion: Findings confirm an age-related associative memory deficit. Contrary to the common view, memory for names was found to be superior to faces. While no significant correlation between global vascular risk and memory was found, the study presents an overview of the literature and suggestions for future research, providing a foundation for future studies in this field.