Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2025

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function
Published on: January 26, 2024
Inhibition mediates the relationship between age cohort and virtual reality-based prospective memory
Michael D Barnett1,2, Carmen Jia-Wen Chek1,2
1Aging, Neuropsychology, and Technology (ANT) Lab, Memory Assessment and Research Center, Department of Psychology and Counseling, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, United States of America.
Introduction:
Prospective memory has received relatively little attention from a clinical perspective, yet it is an important part of daily functioning. Executive functions have been linked with prospective memory abilities, and age differences are found in both executive functions and prospective memory. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether age cohort differences in prospective memory abilities are mediated by executive functions, specifically inhibition.
Method:
Participants (N = 108) consisted of young adults (n= 53) and older adults (n= 55) without any neurocognitive impairment. Participants completed a clinical interview and a battery of neuropsychological tests that included the Mini-Mental Status Exam-2 Standard Version (MMSE-2-SV), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-64 (WCST-64), the Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning System Color-Word Interference Test (D-KEFS CWIT), and the Virtual Kitchen Protocol (VKP).
Results:
Young adults had higher prospective memory scores than older adults. Inhibition (i.e., D-KEFS CWIT) mediated the relationship between age cohort and prospective memory, while cognitive flexibility did not mediate the relationship.
Conclusions:
Older adults may have diminished inhibition abilities that may negatively affect their ability to complete prospective memory tasks.
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Interference and Decay
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Eyewitness Memory
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function...
Working Memory
Role of Hippocampus in Memory

