Age-related differences in executive control of working memory

Abstract

In two experiments, we used dual-task methodology to assess the effect of aging on executive control of working memory. We hypothesized that (1) age-related dual-task costs would be observed even when individual tasks represent different perceptual modalities; (2) age would modulate the effect of increased temporal overlap on dual-task performance; and (3) the vulnerability of specific memory mechanisms to interference would be age related. We found that aging was associated with disproportionate dual-task costs that increased when extending the overlap between individual tasks. The effect of interference with encoding, and arguably output, was disproportionately larger in old than in young individuals. Ensuring that individual tasks represent different perceptual modalities is important but insufficient when using dual-task methodology to assess the effect of aging on executive function. The degree of temporal overlap between individual tasks and the sensitivity of specific memory operations to interference should be considered, as well.