PREDICTORS OF EYEBLINK CLASSICAL-CONDITIONING OVER THE ADULT AGE SPAN

The major aim was to identify predictors of the large age differences that exist in eyeblink classical conditioning. Eyeblink conditioning w as assessed in 190 participants over the age range of 20-89 years, wit h 150 trained in the paired condition and 40 trained in the explicitly unpaired control condition. Timed-interval tapping was used to assess cerebellar function. Blink reaction time and explicit learning and me mory were also assessed. Stepwise multiple regression indicated that t he effect of age accounted for the largest proportion of the variance, but the cerebellar measure also predicted eyeblink conditioning at a significant level. Reaction time and explicit memory measures did not account for a significant amount of the variance in eyeblink condition ing. Age-related effects in the cerebellum apparently affect timing an d learning in normal adults.