Abstract
Age-related decline in cognition is a well-documented phenomenon characterized by marked reductions in working and episodic memory. Memory athletes are individuals competing in a variety of memory sports. They exhibit exceptional and remarkable recall and cognitive performance. In spite of the extraordinary cognitive prowess exhibited by memory athletes, there is very little information available regarding the effects of aging on memory performance in this unique group. PURPOSE: This study investigated age-associated changes in memory performance in memory athletes competing in the memory championship events. METHODS: Among all the memory competitions, we examined performance trends in the 5-minute and 15-minute number events (memorizing as many random digits as possible in a selected amount of time) at Memory Championships from 2010 to 2024. These events were selected for their linear scoring models and consistent evaluation criteria across all ages. Participants were categorized into four age groups: junior (≤17), young (18–39), middle-aged (40–59), and senior (60+). The top 30 performers in each category were included in the analysis. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were used. RESULTS: Polynomial regression analysis revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between age and performance. Memory performance increased from junior to young categories and gradually decreased to middle-aged and senior categories. The peak performance ages for the 5-minute and 15-minute number events were 28.4 and 29.2 years. Compared with peak performance, memory scores declined 22% at age 40, 56% at age 50, and 74% at age 60 in the 5-minute number events. These trends were similar in the 15-minute event. Violin plots indicated that middle-aged participants exhibited more consistent performance across both events, reflected in a narrower vertical spread and tighter horizontal distribution. In contrast, seniors showed greater variability, as evidenced by a broader vertical and horizontal spread in both disciplines. A one-way ANOVA confirmed the significant relationship between age and performance (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In competitive memory athletes, memory performance improves from junior to young, reaching peak performance around the late 20s. Subsequently, memory performance declines gradually and markedly with advancing age in competitive memory athletes with highly trained memory systems.
Recommended Citation
Pradhan, Riya; Yadav, Shubham; and Tanaka, Hirofumi Dr.
(2025)
"Age-Related Changes in Memory Performance in Memory Athletes,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
17, Article 150.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss17/150
