Auditory Evoked Potentials in Senescent Forgetfulness

Abstract

Two evoked potential (EP) techniques and the selective reminding test were employed to investigate an apparently benign forgetfulness in 7 elderly subjects and 7 age-matched elderly subjects with normal memory. EP were also recorded in a group of 7 young adults. Latency of the P3 component, which has been demonstrated to increase in primary degenerative dementia, displayed the normal age-related variation in both elderly groups, but did not differ between the forgetful subjects and the elderly controls. No difference in the recovery cycle of the EP, as measured in a 2 tone stimulation paradigm, was present between forgetful and elderly control groups. Reexamination of memory after nearly a year disclosed no evidence of deterioration in either elderly group. Senescent forgetfulness, as defined herein, may be a nonprogressive memory disorder.