Perrochon A, Mandigout S, Petruzzellis S, Soria Garcia N, Zaoui M, Berthoz A, Daviet J C
Université de Limoges, HAVAE, EA 6310, F-87000 Limoges, France.
Université de Limoges, HAVAE, EA 6310, F-87000 Limoges, France.
Neurosci Lett. 2018 Sep 25;684:13-17. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.06.054. Epub 2018 Jun 30.
Spatial memory and navigation capabilities tend to decline in normal aging, but few studies have assessed the impact of landmarks on route learning in a large-scale environment. The objectives were to examine age-related effects on visuo-spatial working memory capabilities in various environments and to determine the impact of landmarks in navigation skills in normal aging. 42 young women (23.6 ± 4.9 years) and 37 older women (70.7 ± 4.7 years) with no cognitive impairment have performed three visuo-spatial working memory tests: one in reaching space (computerized Corsi-Block-Tapping test) and two in locomotor navigation space (a condition without landmarks: Virtual Walking Corsi Test and a condition with landmarks: Virtual Room Walking Test). A two-way mixed ANOVA test showed that the young subjects performed better in all conditions than older subjects. The performance in visuo-spatial working memory thus decreases with age. Visuo-spatial working memory performances were identical in reaching and navigation spaces for both groups. The integration of landmarks into a navigational task decreases performance in older women, while this performance is not altered in younger women.
空间记忆和导航能力在正常衰老过程中往往会下降，但很少有研究评估地标对大规模环境中路线学习的影响。目的是研究在不同环境中与年龄相关的对视觉空间工作记忆能力的影响，并确定地标对正常衰老过程中导航技能的影响。42名无认知障碍的年轻女性（23.6±4.9岁）和37名老年女性（70.7±4.7岁）进行了三项视觉空间工作记忆测试：一项在伸手可及空间（计算机化的科西方块敲击测试），两项在运动导航空间（一种无地标的情况：虚拟行走科西测试和一种有地标的情况：虚拟房间行走测试）。双向混合方差分析测试表明，年轻受试者在所有条件下的表现均优于老年受试者。因此，视觉空间工作记忆的表现会随着年龄的增长而下降。两组在伸手可及空间和导航空间中的视觉空间工作记忆表现相同。将地标整合到导航任务中会降低老年女性的表现，而年轻女性的这种表现则不会改变。
