Age-related differences in word-retrieval but not in meaning generation

Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 2012;19(4):515-29. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2011.638975. Epub 2012 Jan 6.

Abstract

This study examines age-associated changes in retrieval on a picture-naming task, phonemic and semantic fluency tasks, and the Homophone Meaning Generation Test (HMGT). The sample included 152 Hebrew-speaking adults, half young (mean age 22.75) and half old (mean age 76.05). Groups differed on the picture-naming task and on both verbal fluency tasks, but not on the HMGT. Age explained a greater share of the variance than did education level on these three tests, whereas the opposite pattern of results was seen on the HMGT. We suggest that age-related word finding difficulties are attenuated when performance allows for semantic rather than phonological access.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language Tests
  • Male
  • Mental Recall / physiology*
  • Names
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Phonetics
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Semantics*
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Verbal Learning / physiology*
  • Vocabulary*
  • Young Adult