HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Maylor, E. A. Articles by Hallett, E. L. Articles citing this Article PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maylor, E. A. Articles by Hallett, E. L.

Preserved Olfactory Cuing of Autobiographical Memories in Old Age

^a University of Warwick, England

Elizabeth A. Maylor, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, England E-mail: elizabeth.maylor{at}warwick.ac.uk.

The authors investigated whether olfactory cues can facilitate memory retrieval and whether they retain their effectiveness in old age. In Phase 1, 57 young and 57 old adults (mean ages of 21 and 84 years, respectively) were asked to recall autobiographical memories associated with each of six cue words. In Phase 2, the same words were presented again with instructions to recall new memories; on this second occasion, half of the words were accompanied by their appropriate odors. Both age groups recalled more than twice as many memories in Phase 2 with the odor than without the odor, providing evidence for substantial olfactory cuing that is remarkably intact in old age.