Recognition memory span in rhesus monkeys of advanced age

Assessment of recognition memory was performed on eight rhesus monkeys of advanced age (25 to 27 years of age) using the delayed recognition span test (DRST). Their performance was compared to that of five young adult animals (5 to 7 years of age) on two stimulus conditions of the DRST: spatial position and color. Both trial unique and repeating series were used for each of the two conditions. As a group, aged monkeys were impaired on both the spatial and color conditions of the DRST, achieving about two-thirds of the span of the young adult group in each condition. Error analyses revealed that monkeys in the aged group also produced more perseverative responses (i.e., displacing the previously correct disk) than did young adults. Together the findings suggest that monkeys of advanced age are impaired on tasks with memory loading demand characteristics.