Mnemonic Similarity Task Reveals Feasibility and Insights into Memory Performance in Older Adults

Mean age was 92.7± 5.6 and 61.3% were female (Table 1). MST was successfully completed by all participants. Regression analyses revealed no significant association between MST scores and age (REC: p = 0.12; LDI: p = 0.09) (Table 2). A significant positive correlation was identified between MMSE and REC scores (β = 0.36, p = 0.02). No significant association was found between MMSE and LDI (β = 0.15, p = 0.28). Scatterplots indicated variability in individual MST scores with no discernible age-related decline. (Figure 1) CONCLUSION: The MST is a feasible and effective task for assessing pattern separation and recognition memory in the oldest old. The observed association between MMSE and REC, but not LDI, deserves further investigation. The direct relationship between REC and MMSE underscores the utility of MST as a cognitive assessment tool. Further research with expanded cognitive measures and imaging biomarkers is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving MST performance and its role as a digital biomarker for cognitive health.