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Word retrieval in aging: An exploration of task effects

Abstract

Word retrieval difficulties are the hallmark of aphasia, but they also occur in healthy aging. In the current study, word retrieval in healthy adults between the ages of 30 and 90 years was examined in three tasks—picture naming, semantic (animal) fluency, and letter (F,A,S) fluency. Naming accuracy was found to show minimal effects of age, but the time-sensitive measures (naming latency and verbal fluency) showed age effects. These were unrelated to a measure of word knowledge, reinforcing the hypothesis that age-related declines in word retrieval are due to access deficits, particularly when speeded access is emphasized

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