Older adults produce more verbal false memories than younger adults: is it semantics or executive functioning?

Background: A verbal false memory occurs when one remembers a word (called “critical lure”) as part of a previously presented list despite its absence. This phenomenon may be linked to the semantic associations of the critical lure with actual list items. Aims: We aimed to investigate the mechanisms behind the increase in verbal false memories with aging, evaluating whether this is due to a greater reliance on semantic processing or impaired executive functioning. Methods: We employed the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm, presenting DRM word lists to two age groups: young adults and older adults. In addition, participants completed the Hayling Sentence Completion Test to assess inhibition and the Backward Digit Span Task to evaluate working memory. Results: Our findings confirm that older adults experience more verbal false memories than younger participants. Results suggest that both semantic processing reliance and inhibition impairment contribute to the increase in false memories with aging, while working memory was not significantly related to false memory production. Discussion: Older adults’ increased susceptibility to false memories appears to arise from an interplay between enhanced semantic reliance and inhibition deficits. Conclusions: This study proposes a novel integration of semantic and executive mechanisms underlying the observed increase in false memories during aging, with inhibition playing an unexpected role in enhancing false memory susceptibility.