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Jiang L, Robin J, Shing N, Mazloum-Farzaghi N, Ladyka-Wojcik N, Balakumar N, Anderson ND, Ryan JD, Barense MD, Olsen RK. Impaired perceptual discrimination of complex objects in older adults at risk for dementia. Hippocampus 2024; 34:197-203. [PMID: 38189156 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Tau pathology accumulates in the perirhinal cortex (PRC) of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) during the earliest stages of the Alzheimer's disease (AD), appearing decades before clinical diagnosis. Here, we leveraged perceptual discrimination tasks that target PRC function to detect subtle cognitive impairment even in nominally healthy older adults. Older adults who did not have a clinical diagnosis or subjective memory complaints were categorized into "at-risk" (score <26; n = 15) and "healthy" (score ≥26; n = 23) groups based on their performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The task included two conditions known to recruit the PRC: faces and complex objects (greebles). A scene condition, known to recruit the hippocampus, and a size control condition that does not rely on the MTL were also included. Individuals in the at-risk group were less accurate than those in the healthy group for discriminating greebles. Performance on either the face or size control condition did not predict group status above and beyond that of the greeble condition. Visual discrimination tasks that are sensitive to PRC function may detect early cognitive decline associated with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Jiang
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Robin
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathanael Shing
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Negar Mazloum-Farzaghi
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Niroja Balakumar
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole D Anderson
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer D Ryan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Morgan D Barense
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rosanna K Olsen
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Weisberg SM, Ebner NC, Seidler RD. Getting LOST: A conceptual framework for supporting and enhancing spatial navigation in aging. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2024; 15:e1669. [PMID: 37933623 PMCID: PMC10939954 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Spatial navigation is more difficult and effortful for older than younger individuals, a shift which occurs for a variety of neurological, physical, and cognitive reasons associated with aging. Despite a large body of evidence documenting age-related deficits in spatial navigation, comparatively less research addresses how to facilitate more effective navigation behavior for older adults. Since navigation challenges arise for a variety of reasons in old age, a one-size-fits-all solution is unlikely to work. Here, we introduce a framework for the variety of spatial navigation challenges faced in aging, which we call LOST-Location, Orientation, Spatial mapping, and Transit. The LOST framework builds on evidence from the cognitive neuroscience of spatial navigation, which reveals distinct components underpinning human wayfinding. We evaluate research on navigational aids-devices and depictions-which help people find their way around; and we reflect on how navigation aids solve (or fail to solve) specific wayfinding difficulties faced by older adults. In summary, we emphasize a bespoke approach to improving spatial navigation in aging, which focuses on tailoring navigation solutions to specific navigation challenges. Our hope is that by providing precise support to older navigators, navigation opportunities can facilitate independence and exploration, while minimizing the danger of becoming lost. We conclude by delineating critical knowledge gaps in how to improve older adults' spatial navigation capacities that the novel LOST framework could guide to address. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Development and Aging Neuroscience > Cognition Neuroscience > Behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Weisberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Physiology and Aging, University of Florida, 1345 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610-0274
| | - Rachael D. Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Normal Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, 3009 SW Williston Rd. 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32608
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Srokova S, Aktas ANZ, Koen JD, Rugg MD. Dissociative Effects of Age on Neural Differentiation at the Category and Item Levels. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0959232023. [PMID: 38050137 PMCID: PMC10860568 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0959-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing age is associated with age-related neural dedifferentiation, a reduction in the selectivity of neural representations, which has been proposed to contribute to cognitive decline in older age. Recent findings indicate that when operationalized in terms of selectivity for different perceptual categories, age-related neural dedifferentiation and the apparent age-invariant association of neural selectivity with cognitive performance are largely restricted to the cortical regions typically recruited during scene processing. It is currently unknown whether this category-level dissociation extends to metrics of neural selectivity defined at the level of individual stimulus items. Here, we examined neural selectivity at the category and item levels using multivoxel pattern similarity analysis (PSA) of fMRI data. Healthy young and older male and female adults viewed images of objects and scenes. Some items were presented singly, while others were either repeated or followed by a "similar lure." In agreement with recent findings, category-level PSA revealed robustly lower differentiation in older than in younger adults in scene-selective, but not object-selective, cortical regions. By contrast, at the item level, robust age-related declines in neural differentiation were evident for both stimulus categories. Additionally, we identified an age-invariant association between category-level scene selectivity in the parahippocampal place area and subsequent memory performance, but no such association was evident for item-level metrics. Lastly, category- and item-level neural metrics were uncorrelated. Thus, the present findings suggest that age-related category- and item-level dedifferentiation depend on distinct neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Srokova
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75235
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Ayse N Z Aktas
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75235
| | - Joshua D Koen
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
| | - Michael D Rugg
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75235
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
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Gellersen HM, McMaster J, Abdurahman A, Simons JS. Demands on perceptual and mnemonic fidelity are a key determinant of age-related cognitive decline throughout the lifespan. J Exp Psychol Gen 2024; 153:200-223. [PMID: 38236240 PMCID: PMC10795485 DOI: 10.1037/xge0001476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Aging results in less detailed memories, reflecting reduced fidelity of remembered compared to real-world representations. We tested whether poorer representational fidelity across perception, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM) are among the earliest signs of cognitive aging. Our paradigm probed target-lure object mnemonic discrimination and precision of object-location binding. Across the lifespan, cognitive deficits were observed in midlife when detailed stimulus representations were required for perceptual and short/long-term forced choice mnemonic discrimination. A continuous metric of object-location source memory combined with computational modeling demonstrated that errors in STM and LTM in middle-aged adults were largely driven by a loss of precision for retrieved memories, not necessarily by forgetting. On a trial-by-trial basis, fidelity of item and spatial information was more tightly bound in LTM compared to STM with this association being unaffected by age. Standard neuropsychological tests without demands on memory quality (digit span, verbal learning) were less sensitive to age effects than STM and LTM precision. Perceptual discrimination predicted mnemonic discrimination. Neuropsychological proxies for prefrontal executive functions correlated with STM, but not LTM fidelity. Conversely, neuropsychological indicators of hippocampal integrity correlated with mnemonic discrimination and precision of both STM and LTM, suggesting partially dissociable mechanisms of interindividual variability in STM and LTM fidelity. These findings suggest that reduced representational fidelity is a hallmark of cognitive aging across perception, STM, and LTM and can be observed from midlife onward. Continuous memory precision tasks may be promising for the early detection of subtle age-related cognitive decline. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jon S Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge
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Bouffard NR, Fidalgo C, Brunec IK, Lee ACH, Barense MD. Older adults can use memory for distinctive objects, but not distinctive scenes, to rescue associative memory deficits. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2024; 31:362-386. [PMID: 36703496 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2023.2170966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Associative memory deficits in aging are frequently characterized by false recognition of novel stimulus associations, particularly when stimuli are similar. Introducing distinctive stimuli, therefore, can help guide item differentiation in memory and can further our understanding of how age-related brain changes impact behavior. How older adults use different types of distinctive information to distinguish overlapping events in memory and to avoid false associative recognition is still unknown. To test this, we manipulated the distinctiveness of items from two stimulus categories, scenes and objects, across three conditions: (1) distinct scenes paired with similar objects, (2) similar scenes paired with distinct objects, and (3) similar scenes paired with similar objects. Young and older adults studied scene-object pairs and then made both remember/know judgments toward single items as well as associative memory judgments to old and novel scene-object pairs ("Were these paired together?"). Older adults showed intact single item recognition of scenes and objects, regardless of whether those objects and scenes were similar or distinct. In contrast, relative to younger adults, older adults showed elevated false recognition for scene-object pairs, even when the scenes were distinct. These age-related associative memory deficits, however, disappeared if the pair contained an object that was visually distinct. In line with neural evidence that hippocampal functioning and scene processing decline with age, these results suggest that older adults can rely on memory for distinct objects, but not for distinct scenes, to distinguish between memories with overlapping features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole R Bouffard
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Celia Fidalgo
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Iva K Brunec
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andy C H Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Morgan D Barense
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Kim S, Adams JN, Chappel-Farley MG, Keator D, Janecek J, Taylor L, Mikhail A, Hollearn M, McMillan L, Rapp P, Yassa MA. Examining the diagnostic value of the mnemonic discrimination task for classification of cognitive status and amyloid-beta burden. Neuropsychologia 2023; 191:108727. [PMID: 37939874 PMCID: PMC10764118 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, characterized by early memory impairments and gradual worsening of daily functions. AD-related pathology, such as amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, begins to accumulate many years before the onset of clinical symptoms. Predicting risk for AD via related pathology is critical as the preclinical stage could serve as a therapeutic time window, allowing for early management of the disease and reducing health and economic costs. Current methods for detecting AD pathology, however, are often expensive and invasive, limiting wide and easy access to a clinical setting. A non-invasive, cost-efficient platform, such as computerized cognitive tests, could be potentially useful to identify at-risk individuals as early as possible. In this study, we examined the diagnostic value of an episodic memory task, the mnemonic discrimination task (MDT), for predicting risk of cognitive impairment or Aβ burden. We constructed a random forest classification algorithm, utilizing MDT performance metrics and various neuropsychological test scores as input features, and assessed model performance using area under the curve (AUC). Models based on MDT performance metrics achieved classification results with an AUC of 0.83 for cognitive status and an AUC of 0.64 for Aβ status. Our findings suggest that mnemonic discrimination function may be a useful predictor of progression to prodromal AD or increased risk of Aβ load, which could be a cost-efficient, noninvasive cognitive testing solution for potentially wide-scale assessment of AD pathological and cognitive risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soyun Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Jenna N Adams
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Miranda G Chappel-Farley
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - David Keator
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - John Janecek
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Taylor
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Abanoub Mikhail
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Martina Hollearn
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Liv McMillan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Paul Rapp
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Military & Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Ding Y, Li L, Wang S, Cao Y, Yang M, Dai Y, Lin H, Li J, Liu Y, Wang Z, Liu W, Tao J. Electroacupuncture promotes neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and improves pattern separation in an early Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Biol Res 2023; 56:65. [PMID: 38041203 PMCID: PMC10693055 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00472-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired pattern separation occurs in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) neurogenesis participates in pattern separation. Here, we investigated whether spatial memory discrimination impairment can be improved by promoting the hippocampal DG granule cell neogenesis-mediated pattern separation in the early stage of AD by electroacupuncture (EA). METHODS Five familial AD mutations (5 × FAD) mice received EA treatment at Baihui and Shenting points for 4 weeks. During EA, mice were intraperitoneally injected with BrdU (50 mg/kg) twice a day. rAAV containing Wnt5a shRNA was injected into the bilateral DG region, and the viral efficiency was evaluated by detecting Wnt5a mRNA levels. Cognitive behavior tests were conducted to assess the impact of EA treatment on cognitive function. The hippocampal DG area Aβ deposition level was detected by immunohistochemistry after the intervention; The number of BrdU+/CaR+ cells and the gene expression level of calretinin (CaR) and prospero homeobox 1(Prox1) in the DG area of the hippocampus was detected to assess neurogenesis by immunofluorescence and western blotting after the intervention; The gene expression levels of FZD2, Wnt5a, DVL2, p-DVL2, CaMKII, and p-CaMKII in the Wnt signaling pathway were detected by Western blotting after the intervention. RESULTS Cognitive behavioral tests showed that 5 × FAD mice had impaired pattern separation (P < 0.001), which could be improved by EA (P < 0.01). Immunofluorescence and Western blot showed that the expression of Wnt5a in the hippocampus was decreased (P < 0.001), and the neurogenesis in the DG was impaired (P < 0.001) in 5 × FAD mice. EA could increase the expression level of Wnt5a (P < 0.05) and promote the neurogenesis of immature granule cells (P < 0.05) and the development of neuronal dendritic spines (P < 0.05). Interference of Wnt5a expression aggravated the damage of neurogenesis (P < 0.05), weakened the memory discrimination ability (P < 0.05), and inhibited the beneficial effect of EA (P < 0.05) in AD mice. The expression level of Wnt pathway related proteins such as FZD2, DVL2, p-DVL2, CAMKII, p-CAMKII increased after EA, but the effect of EA was inhibited after Wnt5a was knocked down. In addition, EA could reduce the deposition of Aβ plaques in the DG without any impact on Wnt5a. CONCLUSION EA can promote hippocampal DG immature granule cell neogenesis-mediated pattern separation to improve spatial memory discrimination impairment by regulating Wnt5a in 5 × FAD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyi Ding
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Long Li
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Sinuo Wang
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Yajun Cao
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Minguang Yang
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Yaling Dai
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Huawei Lin
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Jianhong Li
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Yulu Liu
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Zhifu Wang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Cognitive Rehabilitation, Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Weilin Liu
- The Institute of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.
| | - Jing Tao
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350001, China.
- Provincial and Ministerial Co-founded Collaborative Innovation Center of Rehabilitation Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China.
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Rollins L, Huffman DJ, Walters LA, Bennett K. Prolonged development of forced-choice recognition when targets are paired with non-corresponding lures. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 236:105742. [PMID: 37481987 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Previous research suggests that mnemonic discrimination (i.e., the ability to discriminate between previously encountered and novel stimuli even when they are highly similar) improves substantially during childhood. To further understand the development of mnemonic discrimination during childhood, the current study had 4-year-old children, 6-year-old children, and young adults complete the forced-choice Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST). The forced-choice MST offers a significant advantage in the context of developmental research because it is not sensitive to age-related differences in response criteria and includes three test formats that are theorized to be supported by different cognitive processes. A target (i.e., a previously encountered item) is paired with either a novel item (A-X), a corresponding lure (A-A'; i.e., an item mnemonically similar to the target), or a non-corresponding lure (A-B'; i.e., an item mnemonically similar to a different previously encoded item). We observed that 4-year-olds performed more poorly than 6-year-olds on the A-X and A-A' test formats, whereas both 4- and 6-year-olds performed more poorly than young adults on the A-B' test format. The MINERVA 2.2 computational model effectively accounted for these age-related differences. The model suggested that 4-year-olds have a lower learning rate (i.e., probability of encoding stimulus features) than 6-year-olds and young adults and that both 4- and 6-year-olds have greater encoding variability than young adults. These findings provide new insight into possible mechanisms underlying memory development during childhood and serve as the basis for multiple avenues of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Rollins
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA.
| | - Derek J Huffman
- Department of Psychology, Colby College, Waterville, ME 04901, USA
| | - Lauren A Walters
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
| | - Kaylee Bennett
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
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9
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Jensen A, Karpov G, Collin CA, Davidson PSR. Executive Function Predicts Older Adults' Lure Discrimination Difficulties on the Mnemonic Similarity Task. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:1642-1650. [PMID: 37330622 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Older adults often have difficulty remembering the details of recently encountered objects. We previously found this with the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST). Surprisingly, the older adults' MST Lure Discrimination Index (LDI) was significantly correlated with visual acuity but not with memory or executive function. Here we ran a replication with new, larger samples of young (N = 45) and older adults (N = 70). We then combined the original and replication older adult samples (N = 108) to critically examine the relative contributions of visual acuity, memory, and executive function composite scores to LDI performance using dominance analysis. This provided, to our knowledge, the first direct statistical comparison of all 3 of these factors and their interactions on LDI. METHODS Participants completed the MST and a battery assessing visual acuity, memory, and executive function. We examined age group differences on MST performance in the new (i.e., replication) young and older adult samples and performed multiple regression and dominance analysis on the combined older adult sample. RESULTS Consistent with previous findings, the older adults showed significantly poorer LDI but preserved item recognition. LDI was significantly correlated with both memory and executive function but not with visual acuity. In the combined older adult sample, all 3 composites predicted LDI, but dominance analysis indicated that executive function was the most important predictor. DISCUSSION Older adults' MST LDI difficulty may be predicted by their executive function and visual acuity. These factors should be considered when interpreting older adults' MST performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelaide Jensen
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Galit Karpov
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Charles A Collin
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Noh SM, Singla UK, Bennett IJ, Bornstein AM. Memory precision and age differentially predict the use of decision-making strategies across the lifespan. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17014. [PMID: 37813942 PMCID: PMC10562379 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44107-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Memory function declines in normal aging, in a relatively continuous fashion following middle-age. The effect of aging on decision-making is less well-understood, with seemingly conflicting results on both the nature and direction of these age effects. One route for clarifying these mixed findings is to understand how age-related differences in memory affect decisions. Recent work has proposed memory sampling as a specific computational role for memory in decision-making, alongside well-studied mechanisms of reinforcement learning (RL). Here, we tested the hypothesis that age-related declines in episodic memory alter memory sampling. Participants (total N = 361; ages 18-77) performed one of two variants of a standard reward-guided decision experiment with additional trial-unique mnemonic content and a separately-administered task for assessing memory precision. When we fit participants' choices with a hybrid computational model implementing both memory-based and RL-driven valuation side-by-side, we found that memory precision tracked the contribution of memory sampling to choice. At the same time, age corresponded to decreasing influence of RL and increasing perseveration. A second experiment confirmed these results and further revealed that memory precision tracked the specificity of memories selected for sampling. Together, these findings suggest that differences in decision-making across the lifespan may be related to memory function, and that interventions which aim to improve the former may benefit from targeting the latter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon M Noh
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, The University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Umesh K Singla
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ilana J Bennett
- Department of Psychology, The University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Aaron M Bornstein
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, The University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, The University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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11
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Cassady KE, Chen X, Adams JN, Harrison TM, Zhuang K, Maass A, Baker S, Jagust W. Effect of Alzheimer's Pathology on Task-Related Brain Network Reconfiguration in Aging. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6553-6563. [PMID: 37604690 PMCID: PMC10513069 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0023-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Large-scale brain networks undergo widespread changes with older age and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Research in young adults (YA) suggest that the underlying functional architecture of brain networks remains relatively consistent between rest and task states. However, it remains unclear whether the same is true in aging and to what extent any changes may be related to accumulation of AD pathology such as β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau. Here, we examined age-related differences in functional connectivity (FC) between rest and an object-scene mnemonic discrimination task using fMRI in young and older adults (OA; both females and males). We used an a priori episodic memory network (EMN) parcellation scheme associated with object and scene processing, that included anterior-temporal regions and posterior-medial regions. We also used positron emission topography to measure Aβ and tau in older adults. The correlation between rest and task FC (i.e., FC similarity) was reduced in older compared with younger adults. Older adults with lower FC similarity in EMN had higher levels of tau in the same EMN regions and performed worse during object, but not scene, trials during the fMRI task. These findings link AD pathology, particularly tau, to a less stable functional architecture in memory networks. They also suggest that smaller changes in FC organization between rest and task states may facilitate better performance in older age. Interpretations are limited by methodological factors related to different acquisition directions and durations between rest and task scans.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The brain's large-scale network organization is relatively consistent between rest and task states in young adults (YA). We found that memory networks in older adults (OA) were less correlated between rest and (memory) task states compared with young adults. Older adults with less correlated brain networks also had higher levels of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in the same regions, suggesting that a less stable network architecture may reflect the early evolution of AD. Older adults with less correlated brain networks also performed worse during the memory task suggesting that more similar network organization between rest and task states may facilitate better performance in older age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin E Cassady
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Xi Chen
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Jenna N Adams
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Theresa M Harrison
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Kailin Zhuang
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Anne Maass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Suzanne Baker
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - William Jagust
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
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12
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Wolf A, Tripanpitak K, Umeda S, Otake-Matsuura M. Eye-tracking paradigms for the assessment of mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1197567. [PMID: 37546488 PMCID: PMC10399700 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1197567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), representing the 'transitional zone' between normal cognition and dementia, has become a novel topic in clinical research. Although early detection is crucial, it remains logistically challenging at the same time. While traditional pen-and-paper tests require in-depth training to ensure standardized administration and accurate interpretation of findings, significant technological advancements are leading to the development of procedures for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and facilitating the diagnostic process. Some of the diagnostic protocols, however, show significant limitations that hamper their widespread adoption. Concerns about the social and economic implications of the increasing incidence of AD underline the need for reliable, non-invasive, cost-effective, and timely cognitive scoring methodologies. For instance, modern clinical studies report significant oculomotor impairments among patients with MCI, who perform poorly in visual paired-comparison tasks by ascribing less attentional resources to novel stimuli. To accelerate the Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025, this work provides an overview of research on saccadic and exploratory eye-movement deficits among older adults with MCI. The review protocol was drafted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Electronic databases were systematically searched to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 2017 and 2022 that examined visual processing in older adults with MCI and reported gaze parameters as potential biomarkers. Moreover, following the contemporary trend for remote healthcare technologies, we reviewed studies that implemented non-commercial eye-tracking instrumentation in order to detect information processing impairments among the MCI population. Based on the gathered literature, eye-tracking-based paradigms may ameliorate the screening limitations of traditional cognitive assessments and contribute to early AD detection. However, in order to translate the findings pertaining to abnormal gaze behavior into clinical applications, it is imperative to conduct longitudinal investigations in both laboratory-based and ecologically valid settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Wolf
- Cognitive Behavioral Assistive Technology (CBAT), Goal-Oriented Technology Group, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kornkanok Tripanpitak
- Cognitive Behavioral Assistive Technology (CBAT), Goal-Oriented Technology Group, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Umeda
- Department of Psychology, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mihoko Otake-Matsuura
- Cognitive Behavioral Assistive Technology (CBAT), Goal-Oriented Technology Group, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Tokyo, Japan
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13
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Srokova S, Aktas ANZ, Koen JD, Rugg MD. Dissociative effects of age on neural differentiation at the category and item level. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.24.542148. [PMID: 37293054 PMCID: PMC10245847 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.24.542148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Increasing age is associated with age-related neural dedifferentiation, a reduction in the selectivity of neural representations which has been proposed to contribute to cognitive decline in older age. Recent findings indicate that when operationalized in terms of selectivity for different perceptual categories, age-related neural dedifferentiation, and the apparent age-invariant association of neural selectivity with cognitive performance, are largely restricted to the cortical regions typically recruited during scene processing. It is currently unknown whether this category-level dissociation extends to metrics of neural selectivity defined at the level of individual stimulus items. Here, we examined neural selectivity at the category and item levels using multivoxel pattern similarity analysis (PSA) of fMRI data. Healthy young and older male and female adults viewed images of objects and scenes. Some items were presented singly, while others were either repeated or followed by a 'similar lure'. Consistent with recent findings, category-level PSA revealed robustly lower differentiation in older than younger adults in scene-selective, but not object-selective, cortical regions. By contrast, at the item level, robust age-related declines in neural differentiation were evident for both stimulus categories. Moreover, we identified an age-invariant association between category-level scene-selectivity in the parahippocampal place area and subsequent memory performance, but no such association was evident for item-level metrics. Lastly, category and item-level neural metrics were uncorrelated. Thus, the present findings suggest that age-related category- and item-level dedifferentiation depend on distinct neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Srokova
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, 1600 Viceroy Dr. #800, Dallas, TX 75235
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080
| | - Ayse N. Z. Aktas
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, 1600 Viceroy Dr. #800, Dallas, TX 75235
| | - Joshua D. Koen
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, IN, 90 Corbett Family Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Michael D. Rugg
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, 1600 Viceroy Dr. #800, Dallas, TX 75235
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080
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14
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Delarazan AI, Ranganath C, Reagh ZM. Aging impacts memory for perceptual, but not narrative, event details. Learn Mem 2023; 30:48-54. [PMID: 36863768 PMCID: PMC9987157 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053740.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Memory is well known to decline over the course of healthy aging. However, memory is not a monolith and draws from different kinds of representations. Historically, much of our understanding of age-related memory decline stems from recognition of isolated studied items. In contrast, real-life events are often remembered as narratives, and this kind of information is generally missed in typical recognition memory studies. Here, we designed a task to tax mnemonic discrimination of event details, directly contrasting perceptual and narrative memory. Older and younger adults watched an episode of a television show and later completed an old/new recognition test featuring targets, novel foils, and similar lures in narrative and perceptual domains. While we observed no age-related differences on basic recognition of repeated targets and novel foils, older adults showed a deficit in correctly rejecting perceptual, but not narrative, lures. These findings provide insight into the vulnerability of different memory domains in aging and may be useful in characterizing individuals at risk for pathological cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique I Delarazan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA
| | - Charan Ranganath
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA
| | - Zachariah M Reagh
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA
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15
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Wu K, Jelfs B, Mahmoud SS, Neville K, Fang JQ. Tracking functional network connectivity dynamics in the elderly. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1146264. [PMID: 37021138 PMCID: PMC10069653 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1146264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has shown that aging disturbs healthy brain organization and functional connectivity. However, how this age-induced alteration impacts dynamic brain function interaction has not yet been fully investigated. Dynamic function network connectivity (DFNC) analysis can produce a brain representation based on the time-varying network connectivity changes, which can be further used to study the brain aging mechanism for people at different age stages. Method This presented investigation examined the dynamic functional connectivity representation and its relationship with brain age for people at an elderly stage as well as in early adulthood. Specifically, the resting-state fMRI data from the University of North Carolina cohort of 34 young adults and 28 elderly participants were fed into a DFNC analysis pipeline. This DFNC pipeline forms an integrated dynamic functional connectivity (FC) analysis framework, which consists of brain functional network parcellation, dynamic FC feature extraction, and FC dynamics examination. Results The statistical analysis demonstrates that extensive dynamic connection changes in the elderly concerning the transient brain state and the method of functional interaction in the brain. In addition, various machine learning algorithms have been developed to verify the ability of dynamic FC features to distinguish the age stage. The fraction time of DFNC states has the highest performance, which can achieve a classification accuracy of over 88% by a decision tree. Discussion The results proved there are dynamic FC alterations in the elderly, and the alteration was found to be correlated with mnemonic discrimination ability and could have an impact on the balance of functional integration and segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichao Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, China
- School of Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Beth Jelfs
- Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Beth Jelfs
| | - Seedahmed S. Mahmoud
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Katrina Neville
- School of Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - John Q. Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, China
- *Correspondence: John Q. Fang
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16
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Zhou R, Belge T, Wolbers T. Reaching the Goal: Superior Navigators in Late Adulthood Provide a Novel Perspective into Successful Cognitive Aging. Top Cogn Sci 2023; 15:15-45. [PMID: 35582831 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Normal aging is typically associated with declines in navigation and spatial memory abilities. However, increased interindividual variability in performance across various navigation/spatial memory tasks is also evident with advancing age. In this review paper, we shed the spotlight on those older individuals who exhibit exceptional, sometimes even youth-like navigational/spatial memory abilities. Importantly, we (1) showcase observations from existing studies that demonstrate superior navigation/spatial memory performance in late adulthood, (2) explore possible cognitive correlates and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these preserved spatial abilities, and (3) discuss the potential link between the superior navigators in late adulthood and SuperAgers (older adults with superior episodic memory). In the closing section, given the lack of studies that directly focus on this subpopulation, we highlight several important directions that future studies could look into to better understand the cognitive characteristics of older superior navigators and the factors enabling such successful cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruojing Zhou
- Aging, Cognition and Technology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
| | - Tuğçe Belge
- Aging, Cognition and Technology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
| | - Thomas Wolbers
- Aging, Cognition and Technology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg
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17
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The impact of context on pattern separation for objects among younger and older apolipoprotein ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2022; 29:439-449. [PMID: 36416211 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617722000455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE On continuous recognition tasks, changing the context objects are embedded in impairs memory. Older adults are worse on pattern separation tasks requiring identification of similar objects compared to younger adults. However, how contexts impact pattern separation in aging is unclear. The apolipoprotein (APOE) ϵ4 allele may exacerbate possible age-related changes due to early, elevated neuropathology. The goal of this study is to determine how context and APOE status affect pattern separation among younger and older adults. METHOD Older and younger ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers were given a continuous object recognition task. Participants indicated if objects on a Repeated White background, Repeated Scene, or a Novel Scene were old, similar, or new. The proportions of correct responses and the types of errors made were calculated. RESULTS Novel scenes lowered recognition scores compared to all other contexts for everyone. Younger adults outperformed older adults on identifying similar objects. Older adults misidentified similar objects as old more than new, and the repeated scene exacerbated this error. APOE status interacted with scene and age such that in repeated scenes, younger carriers produced less false alarms, and this trend switched for older adults where carriers made more false alarms. CONCLUSIONS Context impacted recognition memory in the same way for both age groups. Older adults underutilized details and over relied on holistic information during pattern separation compared to younger adults. The triple interaction in false alarms may indicate an even greater reliance on holistic information among older adults with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.
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18
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Adams JN, Kim S, Rizvi B, Sathishkumar M, Taylor L, Harris AL, Mikhail A, Keator DB, McMillan L, Yassa MA. Entorhinal-Hippocampal Circuit Integrity Is Related to Mnemonic Discrimination and Amyloid-β Pathology in Older Adults. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8742-8753. [PMID: 36302636 PMCID: PMC9671577 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1165-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mnemonic discrimination, a cognitive process that relies on hippocampal pattern separation, is one of the first memory domains to decline in aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease. We tested whether functional connectivity (FC) within the entorhinal-hippocampal circuit, measured with high-resolution resting state fMRI, is associated with mnemonic discrimination and amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology in a sample of 64 cognitively normal human older adults (mean age, 71.3 ± 6.4 years; 67% female). FC was measured between entorhinal-hippocampal circuit nodes with known anatomical connectivity, as well as within cortical memory networks. Aβ pathology was measured with 18F-florbetapir-PET, and neurodegeneration was assessed with subregional volume from structural MRI. Participants performed both object and spatial versions of a mnemonic discrimination task outside of the scanner and were classified into low-performing and high-performing groups on each task using a median split. Low object mnemonic discrimination performance was specifically associated with increased FC between anterolateral entorhinal cortex (alEC) and dentate gyrus (DG)/CA3, supporting the importance of this connection to object memory. This hyperconnectivity between alEC and DG/CA3 was related to Aβ pathology and decreased entorhinal cortex volume. In contrast, spatial mnemonic discrimination was not associated with altered FC. Aβ was further associated with dysfunction within hippocampal subfields, particularly with decreased FC between CA1 and subiculum as well as reduced volume in these regions. Our findings suggest that Aβ may indirectly lead to memory impairment through entorhinal-hippocampal circuit dysfunction and neurodegeneration and provide a mechanism for increased vulnerability of object mnemonic discrimination.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mnemonic discrimination is a critical episodic memory process that is performed in the dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3 subfield of the hippocampus, relying on input from entorhinal cortex. Mnemonic discrimination is particularly vulnerable to decline in older adults; however, the mechanisms behind this vulnerability are still unknown. We demonstrate that object mnemonic discrimination impairment is related to hyperconnectivity between the anterolateral entorhinal cortex and DG/CA3. This hyperconnectivity was associated with amyloid-β pathology and neurodegeneration in entorhinal cortex, suggesting aberrantly increased network activity is a pathological process. Our findings provide a mechanistic explanation of the vulnerability of object compared to spatial mnemonic discrimination in older adults and has translational implications for choice of outcome measures in clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna N Adams
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Soyun Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Batool Rizvi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Mithra Sathishkumar
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Lisa Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Alyssa L Harris
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Abanoub Mikhail
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - David B Keator
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Liv McMillan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
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19
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Güsten J, Berron D, Düzel E, Ziegler G. Bayesian modeling of item heterogeneity in dichotomous recognition memory data and prospects for computerized adaptive testing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1250. [PMID: 35075157 PMCID: PMC8786965 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04997-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Most current models of recognition memory fail to separately model item and person heterogeneity which makes it difficult to assess ability at the latent construct level and prevents the administration of adaptive tests. Here we propose to employ a General Condorcet Model for Recognition (GCMR) in order to estimate ability, response bias and item difficulty in dichotomous recognition memory tasks. Using a Bayesian modeling framework and MCMC inference, we perform 3 separate validation studies comparing GCMR to the Rasch model from IRT and the 2-High-Threshold (2HT) recognition model. First, two simulations demonstrate that recovery of GCMR ability estimates with varying sparsity and test difficulty is more robust and that estimates improve from the two other models under common test scenarios. Then, using a real dataset, face validity is confirmed by replicating previous findings of general and domain-specific age effects (Güsten et al. in Cortex 137:138-148, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.12.017 , 2021). Using cross-validation we show better out-of-sample prediction for the GCMR as compared to Rasch and 2HT model. In addition, we present a hierarchical extension of the model that is able to estimate age- and domain-specific effects directly, without recurring to a two-stage procedure. Finally, an adaptive test using the GCMR is simulated, showing that the test length necessary to obtain reliable ability estimates can be significantly reduced compared to a non-adaptive procedure. The GCMR allows to model trial-by-trial performance and to increase the efficiency and reliability of recognition memory assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremie Güsten
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany. .,Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - David Berron
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany.,Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Emrah Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany.,Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.,Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gabriel Ziegler
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany.,Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
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20
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Hall EH, Bainbridge WA, Baker CI. Highly similar and competing visual scenes lead to diminished object but not spatial detail in memory drawings. Memory 2021; 30:279-292. [PMID: 34913412 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2021.2010761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Drawings of scenes made from memory can be highly detailed and spatially accurate, with little information not found in the observed stimuli. While prior work has focused on studying memory for distinct scenes, less is known about the specific detail recalled when episodes are highly similar and competing. Here, participants (N = 30) were asked to study and recall eight complex scene images using a drawing task. Importantly, four of these images were exemplars of different scene categories, while the other four images were from the same scene category. The resulting 213 drawings were judged by 1764 online scorers for a comprehensive set of measures, including scene and object diagnosticity, spatial information, and fixation and pen movement behaviour. We observed that competition in memory resulted in diminished object detail, with drawings and objects that were less diagnostic of their original image. However, repeated exemplars of a category did not result in differences in spatial memory accuracy, and there were no differences in fixations during study or pen movements during recall. These results reveal that while drawings for distinct categories of scenes can be highly detailed and accurate, drawings for scenes from repeated categories, creating competition in memory, show reduced object detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth H Hall
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Chris I Baker
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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21
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Laczó M, Lerch O, Martinkovic L, Kalinova J, Markova H, Vyhnalek M, Hort J, Laczó J. Spatial Pattern Separation Testing Differentiates Alzheimer's Disease Biomarker-Positive and Biomarker-Negative Older Adults With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:774600. [PMID: 34899277 PMCID: PMC8662816 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.774600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The hippocampus, entorhinal cortex (EC), and basal forebrain (BF) are among the earliest regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. They play an essential role in spatial pattern separation, a process critical for accurate discrimination between similar locations. Objective: We examined differences in spatial pattern separation performance between older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) with AD versus those with non-Alzheimer’s pathologic change (non-AD) and interrelations between volumes of the hippocampal, EC subregions and BF nuclei projecting to these subregions (medial septal nuclei and vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca – Ch1-2 nuclei) with respect to performance. Methods: Hundred and eighteen older adults were recruited from the Czech Brain Aging Study. Participants with AD aMCI (n = 37), non-AD aMCI (n = 26), mild AD dementia (n = 26), and cognitively normal older adults (CN; n = 29) underwent spatial pattern separation testing, cognitive assessment and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Results: The AD aMCI group had less accurate spatial pattern separation performance than the non-AD aMCI (p = 0.039) and CN (p < 0.001) groups. The AD aMCI and non-AD groups did not differ in other cognitive tests. Decreased BF Ch1-2 volume was indirectly associated with worse performance through reduced hippocampal tail volume and reduced posteromedial EC and hippocampal tail or body volumes operating in serial. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that spatial pattern separation testing differentiates AD biomarker positive and negative older adults with aMCI and provides evidence that BF Ch1-2 nuclei influence spatial pattern separation through the posteromedial EC and the posterior hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Laczó
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Ondrej Lerch
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Lukas Martinkovic
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jana Kalinova
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia
| | - Hana Markova
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Martin Vyhnalek
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jakub Hort
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jan Laczó
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czechia
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22
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Tran TT, Speck CL, Gallagher M, Bakker A. Lateral Entorhinal Cortex Dysfunction in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 112:151-160. [PMID: 35182842 PMCID: PMC8976714 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The entorhinal cortex is the site of some of the earliest pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease, including neuronal, synaptic and volumetric loss. Specifically, the lateral entorhinal cortex shows significant accumulation of tau neurofibrillary tangles in the amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) phase of Alzheimer's disease. Although decreased entorhinal cortex activation has been observed in patients with aMCI in the context of impaired memory function, it remains unclear if functional changes in the entorhinal cortex can be localized to the lateral or medial entorhinal cortex. To assess subregion specific changes in the lateral and medial entorhinal cortex, patients with aMCI and healthy aged-matched control participants underwent high-resolution structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Patients with aMCI showed significantly reduced volume, and decreased activation localized to the lateral entorhinal cortex but not the medial entorhinal cortex. These results show that structural and functional changes associated with impaired memory function differentially engage the lateral entorhinal cortex in patients with aMCI, consistent with the locus of early disease related pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy T Tran
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Arts and Sciences, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Caroline L Speck
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michela Gallagher
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Arts and Sciences, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Arnold Bakker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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23
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Grande X, Berron D, Maass A, Bainbridge WA, Düzel E. Content-specific vulnerability of recent episodic memories in Alzheimer's disease. Neuropsychologia 2021; 160:107976. [PMID: 34314781 PMCID: PMC8434425 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Endel Tulving's episodic memory framework emphasizes the multifaceted re-experiencing of personal events. Indeed, decades of research focused on the experiential nature of episodic memories, usually treating recent episodic memory as a coherent experiential quality. However, recent insights into the functional architecture of the medial temporal lobe show that different types of mnemonic information are segregated into distinct neural pathways in brain circuits empirically associated with episodic memory. Moreover, recent memories do not fade as a whole under conditions of progressive neurodegeneration in these brain circuits, notably in Alzheimer's disease. Instead, certain memory content seem particularly vulnerable from the moment of their encoding while other content can remain memorable consistently across individuals and contexts. We propose that these observations are related to the content-specific functional architecture of the medial temporal lobe and consequently to a content-specific impairment of memory at different stages of the neurodegeneration. To develop Endel Tulving's inspirational legacy further and to advance our understanding of how memory function is affected by neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, we postulate that it is compelling to focus on the representational content of recent episodic memories. The functional anatomy of episodic memory segregates different memory content. Alzheimer's disease may cause content-specific loss of recent memories Content-specific memorability across individuals changes with Alzheimer's disease. Content-specific assessment could provide new insights into episodic memory in health and disease
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Affiliation(s)
- Xenia Grande
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - David Berron
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany; Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anne Maass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | - Emrah Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, United Kingdom.
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24
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Johnson SA, Zequeira S, Turner SM, Maurer AP, Bizon JL, Burke SN. Rodent mnemonic similarity task performance requires the prefrontal cortex. Hippocampus 2021; 31:701-716. [PMID: 33606338 PMCID: PMC9343235 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Mnemonic similarity task performance, in which a known target stimulus must be distinguished from similar lures, is supported by the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex. Impairments on this task are known to manifest with advancing age. Interestingly, disrupting hippocampal activity leads to mnemonic discrimination impairments when lures are novel, but not when they are familiar. This observation suggests that other brain structures support discrimination abilities as stimuli are learned. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is critical for retrieval of remote events and executive functions, such as working memory, and is also particularly vulnerable to dysfunction in aging. Importantly, the medial PFC is reciprocally connected to the perirhinal cortex and neuron firing in this region coordinates communication between lateral entorhinal and perirhinal cortices to presumably modulate hippocampal activity. This anatomical organization and function of the medial PFC suggests that it contributes to mnemonic discrimination; however, this notion has not been empirically tested. In the current study, rats were trained on a LEGO object-based mnemonic similarity task adapted for rodents, and surgically implanted with guide cannulae targeting prelimbic and infralimbic regions of the medial PFC. Prior to mnemonic discrimination tests, rats received PFC infusions of the GABAA agonist muscimol. Analyses of expression of the neuronal activity-dependent immediate-early gene Arc in medial PFC and adjacent cortical regions confirmed muscimol infusions led to neuronal inactivation in the infralimbic and prelimbic cortices. Moreover, muscimol infusions in PFC impaired mnemonic discrimination performance relative to the vehicle control across all testing blocks when lures shared 50-90% feature overlap with the target. Thus, in contrast hippocampal infusions, PFC inactivation impaired target-lure discrimination regardless of the novelty or familiarity of the lures. These findings indicate the PFC plays a critical role in mnemonic similarity task performance, but the time course of PFC involvement is dissociable from that of the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Johnson
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Sabrina Zequeira
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Sean M. Turner
- Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Andrew P. Maurer
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Jennifer L. Bizon
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Sara N. Burke
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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25
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Tran T, Tobin KE, Block SH, Puliyadi V, Gallagher M, Bakker A. Effect of aging differs for memory of object identity and object position within a spatial context. Learn Mem 2021; 28:239-247. [PMID: 34131055 PMCID: PMC8212778 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053181.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
There has been considerable focus on investigating age-related memory changes in cognitively healthy older adults, in the absence of neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies have reported age-related domain-specific changes in older adults, showing increased difficulty encoding and processing object information but minimal to no impairment in processing spatial information compared with younger adults. However, few of these studies have examined age-related changes in the encoding of concurrently presented object and spatial stimuli, specifically the integration of both spatial and nonspatial (object) information. To more closely resemble real-life memory encoding and the integration of both spatial and nonspatial information, the current study developed a new experimental paradigm with novel environments that allowed for the placement of different objects in different positions within the environment. The results show that older adults have decreased performance in recognizing changes of the object position within the spatial context but no significant differences in recognizing changes in the identity of the object within the spatial context compared with younger adults. These findings suggest there may be potential age-related differences in the mechanisms underlying the representations of complex environments and furthermore, the integration of spatial and nonspatial information may be differentially processed relative to independent and isolated representations of object and spatial information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy Tran
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E. Tobin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
| | - Sophia H. Block
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Vyash Puliyadi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Michela Gallagher
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Arnold Bakker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
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26
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Vyleta NP, Snyder JS. Prolonged development of long-term potentiation at lateral entorhinal cortex synapses onto adult-born neurons. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253642. [PMID: 34143843 PMCID: PMC8213073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Critical period plasticity at adult-born neuron synapses is widely believed to contribute to the learning and memory functions of the hippocampus. Experience regulates circuit integration and for a transient interval, until cells are ~6 weeks old, new neurons display enhanced long-term potentiation (LTP) at afferent and efferent synapses. Since neurogenesis declines substantially with age, this raises questions about the extent of lasting plasticity offered by adult-born neurons. Notably, however, the hippocampus receives sensory information from two major cortical pathways. Broadly speaking, the medial entorhinal cortex conveys spatial information to the hippocampus via the medial perforant path (MPP), and the lateral entorhinal cortex, via the lateral perforant path (LPP), codes for the cues and items that make experiences unique. While enhanced critical period plasticity at MPP synapses is relatively well characterized, no studies have examined long-term plasticity at LPP synapses onto adult-born neurons, even though the lateral entorhinal cortex is uniquely vulnerable to aging and Alzheimer's pathology. We therefore investigated LTP at LPP inputs both within (4-6 weeks) and beyond (8+ weeks) the traditional critical period. At immature stages, adult-born neurons did not undergo significant LTP at LPP synapses, and often displayed long-term depression after theta burst stimulation. However, over the course of 3-4 months, adult-born neurons displayed increasingly greater amounts of LTP. Analyses of short-term plasticity point towards a presynaptic mechanism, where transmitter release probability declines as cells mature, providing a greater dynamic range for strengthening synapses. Collectively, our findings identify a novel form of new neuron plasticity that develops over an extended interval, and may therefore be relevant for maintaining cognitive function in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P. Vyleta
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jason S. Snyder
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- * E-mail:
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27
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Wynn JS, Buchsbaum BR, Ryan JD. Encoding and retrieval eye movements mediate age differences in pattern completion. Cognition 2021; 214:104746. [PMID: 34034008 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Older adults often mistake new information as 'old', yet the mechanisms underlying this response bias remain unclear. Typically, false alarms by older adults are thought to reflect pattern completion - the retrieval of a previously encoded stimulus in response to partial input. However, other work suggests that age-related retrieval errors can be accounted for by deficient encoding processes. In the present study, we used eye movement monitoring to quantify age-related changes in behavioral pattern completion as a function of eye movements during both encoding and partially cued retrieval. Consistent with an age-related encoding deficit, older adults executed more gaze fixations and more similar eye movements across repeated image presentations than younger adults, and such effects were predictive of subsequent recognition memory. Analysis of eye movements at retrieval further indicated that in response to partial lure cues, older adults reactivated the similar studied image, indexed by the similarity between encoding and retrieval gaze patterns, and did so more than younger adults. Critically, reactivation of encoded image content via eye movements was associated with lure false alarms in older adults, providing direct evidence for a pattern completion bias. Together, these findings suggest that age-related changes in both encoding and retrieval processes, indexed by eye movements, underlie older adults' increased vulnerability to memory errors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordana S Wynn
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Bradley R Buchsbaum
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer D Ryan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
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28
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Gellersen HM, Trelle AN, Henson RN, Simons JS. Executive function and high ambiguity perceptual discrimination contribute to individual differences in mnemonic discrimination in older adults. Cognition 2021; 209:104556. [PMID: 33450438 PMCID: PMC8223497 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Mnemonic discrimination deficits, or impaired ability to discriminate between similar events in memory, is a hallmark of cognitive aging, characterised by a stark age-related increase in false recognition. While individual differences in mnemonic discrimination have gained attention due to potential relevance for early detection of Alzheimer's disease, our understanding of the component processes that contribute to variability in task performance across older adults remains limited. The present investigation explores the roles of representational quality, indexed by perceptual discrimination of objects and scenes with overlapping features, and strategic retrieval ability, indexed by standardised tests of executive function, to mnemonic discrimination in a large cohort of older adults (N=124). We took an individual differences approach and characterised the contributions of these factors to performance under Forced Choice (FC) and Yes/No (YN) recognition memory formats, which place different demands on strategic retrieval. Performance in both test formats declined with age. Accounting for age, individual differences in FC memory performance were best explained by perceptual discrimination score, whereas YN memory performance was best explained by executive functions. A linear mixed model and dominance analyses confirmed the relatively greater importance of perceptual discrimination over executive functioning for FC performance, while the opposite was true for YN. These findings highlight parallels between perceptual and mnemonic discrimination in aging, the importance of considering demands on executive functions in the context of mnemonic discrimination, and the relevance of test format for modulating the impact of these factors on performance in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandra N Trelle
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
| | - Richard N Henson
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Jon S Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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29
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Bainbridge WA, Pounder Z, Eardley AF, Baker CI. Quantifying aphantasia through drawing: Those without visual imagery show deficits in object but not spatial memory. Cortex 2021; 135:159-172. [PMID: 33383478 PMCID: PMC7856239 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Congenital aphantasia is a recently characterized variation of experience defined by the inability to form voluntary visual imagery, in individuals who are otherwise high performing. Because of this specific deficit to visual imagery, individuals with aphantasia serve as an ideal group for probing the nature of representations in visual memory, particularly the interplay of object, spatial, and symbolic information. Here, we conducted a large-scale online study of aphantasia and revealed a dissociation in object and spatial content in their memory representations. Sixty-one individuals with aphantasia and matched controls with typical imagery studied real-world scene images, and were asked to draw them from memory, and then later copy them during a matched perceptual condition. Drawings were objectively quantified by 2,795 online scorers for object and spatial details. Aphantasic participants recalled significantly fewer objects than controls, with less color in their drawings, and an increased reliance on verbal scaffolding. However, aphantasic participants showed high spatial accuracy equivalent to controls, and made significantly fewer memory errors. These differences between groups only manifested during recall, with no differences between groups during the matched perceptual condition. This object-specific memory impairment in individuals with aphantasia provides evidence for separate systems in memory that support object versus spatial information. The study also provides an important experimental validation for the existence of aphantasia as a variation in human imagery experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilma A Bainbridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Zoë Pounder
- Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, London, UK.
| | - Alison F Eardley
- Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, London, UK.
| | - Chris I Baker
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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30
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Güsten J, Ziegler G, Düzel E, Berron D. Age impairs mnemonic discrimination of objects more than scenes: A web-based, large-scale approach across the lifespan. Cortex 2021; 137:138-148. [PMID: 33611227 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent findings suggest that the effect of aging on recognition memory is modality-dependent, affecting memory for objects and scenes differently. However, the lifespan trajectory of memory decline in these domains remains unclear. A major challenge for assessing domain-specific trajectories is the need to utilize different types of stimuli for each domain (objects and scenes). We tested the large sample required to cover much of the adult lifespan using a large stimulus range via web-based assessments. 1554 participants (18-77 years) performed an online mnemonic discrimination task, tested on a pool of 2708 stimuli (Berron et al., 2018). Using corrected hit-rate (Pr) as a measure of performance, we show age-related decline in mnemonic discrimination in both domains, notably with a stronger decline in object memory, driven by a linear increase in the false recognition rate with advancing age. These data are the first to identify a linear age-related decline in mnemonic discrimination and a stronger, linear trajectory of decline in the object domain. Our data can inform basic and clinical memory research on the effects of aging on memory and help advancing the implementation of digital cognitive research tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremie Güsten
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Gabriel Ziegler
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Emrah Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Berron
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany; Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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31
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Delhaye E, Bastin C. Semantic and perceptual encoding lead to decreased fine mnemonic discrimination following multiple presentations. Memory 2020; 29:141-145. [PMID: 33258408 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2020.1849309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Competitive trace theory holds that semanticization following reactivation is characterised by a fidelity loss in the memory representation due to the competition between different traces formed after each occurrence of a given stimulus. This is manifested in the Mnemonic Similarity Task as an increase in hits and in false recognition of similar lures. We tested this account across two encoding conditions emphasising the perceptual versus semantic features of the items, which were presented either once or three times. Our results supported the hypothesis that semanticization following repetition occurs regardless of the type of encoding induced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Delhaye
- GIGA-CRC In-Vivo Imaging, Liege University, Liège, Belgium.,PsyNCog Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology, Liege University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Christine Bastin
- GIGA-CRC In-Vivo Imaging, Liege University, Liège, Belgium.,PsyNCog Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology, Liege University, Liège, Belgium
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32
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Regional Tau Effects on Prospective Cognitive Change in Cognitively Normal Older Adults. J Neurosci 2020; 41:366-375. [PMID: 33219003 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2111-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies suggest that tau deposition starts in the anterolateral entorhinal cortex (EC) with normal aging, and that the presence of β-amyloid (Aβ) facilitates its spread to neocortex, which may reflect the beginning of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Functional connectivity between the anterolateral EC and the anterior-temporal (AT) memory network appears to drive higher tau deposition in AT than in the posterior-medial (PM) memory network. Here, we investigated whether this differential vulnerability to tau deposition may predict different cognitive consequences of EC, AT, and PM tau. Using 18F-flortaucipir (FTP) and 11C-Pittsburgh compound-B (PiB) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, we measured tau and Aβ in 124 cognitively normal human older adults (74 females, 50 males) followed for an average of 2.8 years for prospective cognition. We found that higher FTP in all three regions was individually related to faster memory decline, and that the effects of AT and PM FTP, but not EC, were driven by Aβ+ individuals. Moreover, when we included all three FTP measures competitively in the same model, only AT FTP significantly predicted memory decline. Our data support a model whereby tau, facilitated by Aβ, transits from EC to cortical regions that are most closely associated with the anterolateral EC, which specifically affects memory in the initial stage of AD. Memory also appears to be affected by EC tau in the absence of Aβ, which may be less clinically consequential. These findings may provide clarification of differences between normal aging and AD, and elucidate the transition between the two stages.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Tau and β-amyloid (Aβ) are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but are also found in cognitively normal people. It is unclear whether, and how, this early deposition of tau and Aβ may affect cognition in normal aging and the asymptomatic stage of AD. We show that tau deposition in the entorhinal cortex (EC), which is common in advanced age, predicts memory decline in older adults independent of Aβ, likely reflecting normal, age-related memory loss. In contrast, tau in anterior-temporal (AT) regions is most predictive of memory decline in Aβ+ individuals. These data support the idea that tau preferentially spreads to specific cortical regions, likely through functional connections, which plays a primary role in memory decline in the early stage of AD.
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33
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Davidson PSR, Vidjen P, Trincao-Batra S, Collin CA. Older Adults' Lure Discrimination Difficulties on the Mnemonic Similarity Task Are Significantly Correlated With Their Visual Perception. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2020; 74:1298-1307. [PMID: 30407604 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gby130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pattern separation in memory encoding entails creating and storing distinct, detailed representations to facilitate storage and retrieval. The Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST; Stark, S. M., Yassa, M. A., Lacy, J. W., & Stark, C. E. [2013]. A task to assess behavioral pattern separation [BPS] in humans: Data from healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychologia, 51, 2442-2449) has been used to argue that normal aging leads to pattern separation decline. We sought to replicate previous reports of age-related difficulty on this behavioral pattern separation estimate and to examine its neuropsychological correlates, specifically long-term memory function, executive function, and visual perception. METHODS We administered an object version of the MST to 31 young adults and 38 older adults. It involved a single-probe recognition memory test in which some of the originally studied objects had been replaced with perceptually similar lures, and participants had to identify each as old, a lure, or new. RESULTS Despite their corrected item recognition scores being superior to those of the young adults, the older adults had significantly greater difficulty than the young in discriminating the similar-looking lures from the original items. Interestingly, this lure discrimination difficulty was significantly correlated with visual perception rather than with long-term memory or executive function. DISCUSSION These results suggest that although adult age differences on the MST are reliable, care should be taken to separate perceptual from memory discrimination difficulties as the reason.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S R Davidson
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Petar Vidjen
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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34
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Riphagen JM, Schmiedek L, Gronenschild EHBM, Yassa MA, Priovoulos N, Sack AT, Verhey FRJ, Jacobs HIL. Associations between pattern separation and hippocampal subfield structure and function vary along the lifespan: A 7 T imaging study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7572. [PMID: 32371923 PMCID: PMC7200747 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64595-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Pattern separation (PS) describes the process by which the brain discriminates similar stimuli from previously encoded stimuli. This fundamental process requires the intact processing by specific subfields in the hippocampus and can be examined using mnemonic discrimination tasks. Previous studies reported different patterns for younger and older individuals between mnemonic discrimination performance and hippocampal subfield activation. Here, we investigated the relationship between the lure discrimination index (LDI) and hippocampal subfield volume and activity across the adult lifespan (20-70 years old). Using ultra-high field functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging at 7 T, we found that lower DG volume and higher CA3 activation was associated with worse LDI performance in individuals (>60 years), suggesting that this higher activation may be an indication of aberrant neurodegenerative-related processes. In fact, higher activation in the CA1 and DG was associated with lower volumes in these subfields. For individuals around 40-50 years old, we observed that greater left and right DG volume, and greater activity in the CA3 was associated with lower LDI performance. Taken together, these results suggest that the relationship between memory and hippocampal subfield structure or function varies nonlinearly and possibly reciprocally with age, with midlife being a critically vulnerable period in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joost M Riphagen
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Lisa Schmiedek
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ed H B M Gronenschild
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nikos Priovoulos
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander T Sack
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO BOX 616, 6200, MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Frans R J Verhey
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO BOX 616, 6200, MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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35
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Abstract
People often recognize and remember faces of individuals within their own race more easily than those of other races. While behavioral research has long suggested that the Other-Race Effect (ORE) is due to extensive experience with one’s own race group, the neural mechanisms underlying the effect have remained elusive. Predominant theories of the ORE have argued that the effect is mainly caused by processing disparities between same and other-race faces during early stages of perceptual encoding. Our findings support an alternative view that the ORE is additionally shaped by mnemonic processing mechanisms beyond perception and attention. Using a “pattern separation” paradigm based on computational models of episodic memory, we report evidence that the ORE may be driven by differences in successful memory discrimination across races as a function of degree of interference or overlap between face stimuli. In contrast, there were no ORE-related differences on a comparable match-to-sample task with no long-term memory load, suggesting that the effect is not simply attributable to visual and attentional processes. These findings suggest that the ORE may emerge in part due to “tuned” memory mechanisms that may enhance same-race, at the expense of other-race face detection.
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Bainbridge WA, Berron D, Schütze H, Cardenas-Blanco A, Metzger C, Dobisch L, Bittner D, Glanz W, Spottke A, Rudolph J, Brosseron F, Buerger K, Janowitz D, Fliessbach K, Heneka M, Laske C, Buchmann M, Peters O, Diesing D, Li S, Priller J, Spruth EJ, Altenstein S, Schneider A, Kofler B, Teipel S, Kilimann I, Wiltfang J, Bartels C, Wolfsgruber S, Wagner M, Jessen F, Baker CI, Düzel E. Memorability of photographs in subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment: Implications for cognitive assessment. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2019; 11:610-618. [PMID: 31517023 PMCID: PMC6732671 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadm.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Impaired long-term memory is a defining feature of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We tested whether this impairment is item specific, limited to some memoranda, whereas some remain consistently memorable. METHODS We conducted item-based analyses of long-term visual recognition memory. Three hundred ninety-four participants (healthy controls, subjective cognitive decline [SCD], and MCI) in the multicentric DZNE-Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Study (DELCODE) were tested with images from a pool of 835 photographs. RESULTS We observed consistent memorability for images in healthy controls, SCD, and MCI, predictable by a neural network trained on another healthy sample. Looking at memorability differences between groups, we identified images that could successfully categorize group membership with higher success and a substantial image reduction than the original image set. DISCUSSION Individuals with SCD and MCI show consistent memorability for specific items, while other items show significant diagnosticity. Certain stimulus features could optimize diagnostic assessment, while others could support memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilma A. Bainbridge
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Berron
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hartmut Schütze
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Arturo Cardenas-Blanco
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Coraline Metzger
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Laura Dobisch
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Bittner
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Neurology, University Hospital Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Wenzel Glanz
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Annika Spottke
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Janna Rudolph
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Frederic Brosseron
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Katharina Buerger
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Janowitz
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Klaus Fliessbach
- Clinic for Neurology, University Hospital Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michael Heneka
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christoph Laske
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
- Section for Dementia Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Martina Buchmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
- Section for Dementia Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Peters
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik Diesing
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Siyao Li
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Josef Priller
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eike Jakob Spruth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Slawek Altenstein
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Schneider
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Barbara Kofler
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefan Teipel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Ingo Kilimann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Jens Wiltfang
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Bartels
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Goettingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Michael Wagner
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neurodegeneration and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Frank Jessen
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Chris I. Baker
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emrah Düzel
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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Stark SM, Kirwan CB, Stark CEL. Mnemonic Similarity Task: A Tool for Assessing Hippocampal Integrity. Trends Cogn Sci 2019; 23:938-951. [PMID: 31597601 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus is critical for learning and memory, relying in part on pattern separation processes supported by the dentate gyrus (DG) to prevent interference from overlapping memory representations. In 2007, we designed the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST), a modified object recognition memory task, to be highly sensitive to hippocampal function by placing strong demands on pattern separation. The MST is now a widely used behavioral task, repeatedly shown to be sensitive to age-related memory decline, hippocampal connectivity, and hippocampal function, with specificity to the DG. Here, we review the utility of the MST, its relationship to hippocampal function, its utility in detecting hippocampal-based memory alterations across the lifespan, and impairments associated with clinical pathology from a variety of disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shauna M Stark
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - C Brock Kirwan
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Craig E L Stark
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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38
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Higher CSF Tau Levels Are Related to Hippocampal Hyperactivity and Object Mnemonic Discrimination in Older Adults. J Neurosci 2019; 39:8788-8797. [PMID: 31541019 PMCID: PMC6820211 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1279-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mnemonic discrimination, the ability to distinguish similar events in memory, relies on subregions in the human medial temporal lobes (MTLs). Tau pathology is frequently found within the MTL of older adults and therefore likely to affect mnemonic discrimination, even in healthy older individuals. The MTL subregions that are known to be affected early by tau pathology, the perirhinal-transentorhinal region (area 35) and the anterior-lateral entorhinal cortex (alEC), have recently been implicated in the mnemonic discrimination of objects rather than scenes. Here we used an object-scene mnemonic discrimination task in combination with fMRI recordings and analyzed the relationship between subregional MTL activity, memory performance, and levels of total and phosphorylated tau as well as Aβ42/40 ratio in CSF. We show that activity in alEC was associated with mnemonic discrimination of similar objects but not scenes in male and female cognitively unimpaired older adults. Importantly, CSF tau levels were associated with increased fMRI activity in the hippocampus, and both increased hippocampal activity as well as tau levels were associated with mnemonic discrimination of objects, but again not scenes. This suggests that dysfunction of the alEC-hippocampus object mnemonic discrimination network might be a marker for tau-related cognitive decline.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Subregions in the human medial temporal lobe are critically involved in episodic memory and, at the same time, affected by tau pathology. Impaired object mnemonic discrimination performance as well as aberrant activity within the entorhinal-hippocampal circuitry have been reported in earlier studies involving older individuals, but it has thus far remained elusive whether and how tau pathology is implicated in this specific impairment. Using task-related fMRI in combination with measures of tau pathology in CSF, we show that measures of tau pathology are associated with increased hippocampal activity and reduced mnemonic discrimination of similar objects but not scenes. This suggests that object mnemonic discrimination tasks could be promising markers for tau-related cognitive decline.
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39
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Cole RC, Hazeltine E, Weng TB, Wharff C, DuBose LE, Schmid P, Sigurdsson G, Magnotta VA, Pierce GL, Voss MW. Cardiorespiratory fitness and hippocampal volume predict faster episodic associative learning in older adults. Hippocampus 2019; 30:143-155. [PMID: 31461198 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Declining episodic memory is common among otherwise healthy older adults, in part due to negative effects of aging on hippocampal circuits. However, there is significant variability between individuals in severity of aging effects on the hippocampus and subsequent memory decline. Importantly, variability may be influenced by modifiable protective physiological factors such as cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). More research is needed to better understand which aspects of cognition that decline with aging benefit most from CRF. The current study evaluated the relation of CRF with learning rate on the episodic associative learning (EAL) task, a task designed specifically to target hippocampal-dependent relational binding and to evaluate learning with repeated occurrences. Results show higher CRF was associated with faster learning rate. Larger hippocampal volume was also associated with faster learning rate, though hippocampal volume did not mediate the relationship between CRF and learning rate. Furthermore, to support the distinction between learning item relations and learning higher-order sequences, which declines with aging but is largely reliant on extra-hippocampal learning systems, we found learning rate on the EAL task was not related to motor sequence learning on the alternating serial reaction time task. Motor sequence learning was also not correlated with hippocampal volume. Thus, for the first time, we show that both higher CRF and larger hippocampal volume in healthy older adults are related to enhanced rate of relational memory acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Cole
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Eliot Hazeltine
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Timothy B Weng
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Conner Wharff
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Lyndsey E DuBose
- Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Phillip Schmid
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Gardar Sigurdsson
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Vincent A Magnotta
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Gary L Pierce
- Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Michelle W Voss
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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40
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Maass A, Berron D, Harrison TM, Adams JN, La Joie R, Baker S, Mellinger T, Bell RK, Swinnerton K, Inglis B, Rabinovici GD, Düzel E, Jagust WJ. Alzheimer's pathology targets distinct memory networks in the ageing brain. Brain 2019; 142:2492-2509. [PMID: 31199481 PMCID: PMC6658874 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease researchers have been intrigued by the selective regional vulnerability of the brain to amyloid-β plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles. Post-mortem studies indicate that in ageing and Alzheimer's disease tau tangles deposit early in the transentorhinal cortex, a region located in the anterior-temporal lobe that is critical for object memory. In contrast, amyloid-β pathology seems to target a posterior-medial network that subserves spatial memory. In the current study, we tested whether anterior-temporal and posterior-medial brain regions are selectively vulnerable to tau and amyloid-β deposition in the progression from ageing to Alzheimer's disease and whether this is reflected in domain-specific behavioural deficits and neural dysfunction. 11C-PiB PET and 18F-flortaucipir uptake was quantified in a sample of 131 cognitively normal adults (age: 20-93 years; 47 amyloid-β-positive) and 20 amyloid-β-positive patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease dementia (65-95 years). Tau burden was relatively higher in anterior-temporal regions in normal ageing and this difference was further pronounced in the presence of amyloid-β and cognitive impairment, indicating exacerbation of ageing-related processes in Alzheimer's disease. In contrast, amyloid-β deposition dominated in posterior-medial regions. A subsample of 50 cognitively normal older (26 amyloid-β-positive) and 25 young adults performed an object and scene memory task while functional MRI data were acquired. Group comparisons showed that tau-positive (n = 18) compared to tau-negative (n = 32) older adults showed lower mnemonic discrimination of object relative to scene images [t(48) = -3.2, P = 0.002]. In a multiple regression model including regional measures of both pathologies, higher anterior-temporal flortaucipir (tau) was related to relatively worse object performance (P = 0.010, r = -0.376), whereas higher posterior-medial PiB (amyloid-β) was related to worse scene performance (P = 0.037, r = 0.309). The functional MRI data revealed that tau burden (but not amyloid-β) was associated with increased task activation in both systems and a loss of functional specificity, or dedifferentiation, in posterior-medial regions. The loss of functional specificity was related to worse memory. Our study shows a regional dissociation of Alzheimer's disease pathologies to distinct memory networks. While our data are cross-sectional, they indicate that with ageing, tau deposits mainly in the anterior-temporal system, which results in deficits in mnemonic object discrimination. As Alzheimer's disease develops, amyloid-β deposits preferentially in posterior-medial regions additionally compromising scene discrimination and anterior-temporal tau deposition worsens further. Finally, our findings propose that the progression of tau pathology is linked to aberrant activation and dedifferentiation of specialized memory networks that is detrimental to memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Maass
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, 39120, Germany
| | - David Berron
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, 39120, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, 39120, Germany
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Theresa M Harrison
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jenna N Adams
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Suzanne Baker
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, 94720, USA
| | - Taylor Mellinger
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rachel K Bell
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kaitlin Swinnerton
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ben Inglis
- Henry H. Wheeler, Jr. Brain Imaging Center, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Gil D Rabinovici
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, 94720, USA
| | - Emrah Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, 39120, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, 39120, Germany
| | - William J Jagust
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, 94720, USA
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41
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Leal SL, Ferguson LA, Harrison TM, Jagust WJ. Development of a mnemonic discrimination task using naturalistic stimuli with applications to aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:219-228. [PMID: 31209116 PMCID: PMC6581010 DOI: 10.1101/lm.048967.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Most tasks test memory within the same day, however, most forgetting occurs after 24 h. Further, testing memory for simple words or objects does not mimic real-world memory experiences. We designed a memory task showing participants video clips of everyday kinds of experiences, including positive, negative, and neutral stimuli, and tested memory immediately and 24 h later. During the memory test, we included repeated and similar stimuli to tax both target recognition and lure discrimination ability. Participants' memory was worse after 24 h, especially the ability to discriminate similar stimuli. Emotional videos were better remembered when tested immediately, however, after 24 h we find gist versus detail trade-offs in emotional forgetting. We also applied this paradigm to a sample of cognitively normal older adults that also underwent amyloid and tau PET imaging. We found that older adults performed worse on the task compared to young adults. While both young and older adults showed similar patterns of forgetting of repeated emotional and neutral clips, older adults showed preserved neutral compared to emotional discrimination after 24 h. Further, lure discrimination performance correlated with medial temporal lobe tau in older adults with preclinical Alzheimer's disease. These results suggest factors such as time between encoding and retrieval, emotion, and similarity influence memory performance and should be considered when examining memory performance for an accurate picture of memory function and dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Leal
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Lorena A Ferguson
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Theresa M Harrison
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - William J Jagust
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.,Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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DeFord NE, DeJesus SY, Holden HM, Graves LV, Lopez FV, Gilbert PE. Young and Older Adults May Utilize Different Cognitive Abilities When Performing a Spatial Recognition Memory Test With Varying Levels of Similarity. Int J Aging Hum Dev 2019; 90:65-83. [PMID: 30813739 DOI: 10.1177/0091415019831443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
We used signal detection theory to evaluate spatial recognition memory utilizing a behavioral test hypothesized to tax pattern separation. Correlations with standardized neuropsychological tests also were examined. Healthy young ( n = 40) and older ( n = 30) adults completed a spatial recognition memory test involving high- and low-similarity conditions. Using d’ as the dependent variable, we found that older adults were significantly impaired relative to young adults on the high- and low-similarity conditions ( ps < .05). Both groups performed significantly better in the low-similarity condition compared to the high-similarity condition ( p < .05), with young adults exhibiting greater improvement relative to older adults. We also found that young adults may rely on spatial attention abilities when performing our test, while older adults might rely on memory and executive function abilities. These findings indicate that young and older adults may utilize different cognitive abilities when performing certain spatial memory tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E DeFord
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, CA, USA
| | | | - Heather M Holden
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, CA, USA
| | - Lisa V Graves
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, CA, USA
| | | | - Paul E Gilbert
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, CA, USA.,San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, CA, USA
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43
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Haque RU, Manzanares CM, Brown LN, Pongos AL, Lah JJ, Clifford GD, Levey AI. VisMET: a passive, efficient, and sensitive assessment of visuospatial memory in healthy aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:93-100. [PMID: 30770466 PMCID: PMC6380203 DOI: 10.1101/lm.048124.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The entorhinal-hippocampal circuit is one of the earliest sites of cortical pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Visuospatial memory paradigms that are mediated by the entorhinal-hippocampal circuit may offer a means to detect memory impairment during the early stages of AD. In this study, we developed a 4-min visuospatial memory paradigm called VisMET (Visuospatial Memory Eye-Tracking Task) that passively assesses memory using eye movements rather than explicit memory judgements. We had 296 control or memory-impaired participants view a set of images followed by a modified version of the images with either an object removed, or a new object added. Healthy controls spent significantly more time viewing these manipulations compared to subjects with mild cognitive impairment and AD. Using a logistic regression model, the amount of time that individuals viewed these manipulations could predict cognitive impairment and disease status with an out of sample area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve of 0.85. Based on these results, VisMET offers a passive, sensitive, and efficient memory paradigm capable of detecting objective memory impairment and predicting cognitive and disease status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafi U Haque
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30312, USA
| | | | - Lavonda N Brown
- Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia 30318, USA
| | - Alvince L Pongos
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30312, USA
| | - James J Lah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30312, USA
| | - Gari D Clifford
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30312, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30308, USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30312, USA
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44
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Johnson SA, Turner SM, Lubke KN, Cooper TL, Fertal KE, Bizon JL, Maurer AP, Burke SN. Experience-Dependent Effects of Muscimol-Induced Hippocampal Excitation on Mnemonic Discrimination. Front Syst Neurosci 2019; 12:72. [PMID: 30687032 PMCID: PMC6335355 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory requires similar episodes with overlapping features to be represented distinctly, a process that is disrupted in many clinical conditions as well as normal aging. Data from humans have linked this ability to activity in hippocampal CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG). While animal models have shown the perirhinal cortex is critical for disambiguating similar stimuli, hippocampal activity has not been causally linked to discrimination abilities. The goal of the current study was to determine how disrupting CA3/DG activity would impact performance on a rodent mnemonic discrimination task. Rats were surgically implanted with bilateral guide cannulae targeting dorsal CA3/DG. In Experiment 1, the effect of intra-hippocampal muscimol on target-lure discrimination was assessed within subjects in randomized blocks. Muscimol initially impaired discrimination across all levels of target-lure similarity, but performance improved on subsequent test blocks irrespective of stimulus similarity and infusion condition. To clarify these results, Experiment 2 examined whether prior experience with objects influenced the effect of muscimol on target-lure discrimination. Rats that received vehicle infusions in a first test block, followed by muscimol in a second block, did not show discrimination impairments for target-lure pairs of any similarity. In contrast, rats that received muscimol infusions in the first test block were impaired across all levels of target-lure similarity. Following discrimination tests, rats from Experiment 2 were trained on a spatial alternation task. Muscimol infusions increased the number of spatial errors made, relative to vehicle infusions, confirming that muscimol remained effective in disrupting behavioral performance. At the conclusion of behavioral experiments, fluorescence in situ hybridization for the immediate-early genes Arc and Homer1a was used to determine the proportion of neurons active following muscimol infusion. Contrary to expectations, muscimol increased neural activity in DG. An additional experiment was carried out to quantify neural activity in naïve rats that received an intra-hippocampal infusion of vehicle or muscimol. Results confirmed that muscimol led to DG excitation, likely through its actions on interneuron populations in hilar and molecular layers of DG and consequent disinhibition of principal cells. Taken together, our results suggest disruption of coordinated neural activity across the hippocampus impairs mnemonic discrimination when lure stimuli are novel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Sean M Turner
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Katelyn N Lubke
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Tara L Cooper
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Kaeli E Fertal
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Andrew P Maurer
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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45
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Burke SN, Foster TC. Animal models of cognitive aging and circuit-specific vulnerability. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2019; 167:19-36. [PMID: 31753133 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-804766-8.00002-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortical structures are particularly vulnerable to dysfunction in advanced age and neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on cognitive aging studies in animals to illustrate the important aspects of the animal model paradigm for investigation of age-related memory and executive function loss. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of the face, construct, and predictive validity of animal models for determining the possible mechanisms of regional vulnerability in aging and for identifying novel therapeutic strategies. Aging is associated with a host of regionally specific neurobiologic alterations. Thus, targeted interventions that restore normal activity in one brain region may exacerbate aberrant activity in another, hindering the restoration of function at the behavioral level. As such, interventions that target the optimization of "cognitive networks" rather than discrete brain regions may be more effective for improving functional outcomes in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
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46
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Williams ME, Graves LV, DeJesus SY, Holden HM, DeFord NE, Gilbert PE. Spatial memory ability during middle age may depend on level of spatial similarity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 26:20-23. [PMID: 30559116 PMCID: PMC6298540 DOI: 10.1101/lm.048280.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Spatial memory impairment is well documented in old age; however, less is known about spatial memory during middle age. We examined the performance of healthy young, middle-aged, and older adults on a spatial memory task with varying levels of spatial similarity (distance). On low similarity trials, young adults significantly outperformed middle-aged adults, who significantly outperformed older adults (Ps < 0.05). On high similarity trials, young adults significantly outperformed middle-aged and older adults (Ps < 0.05); however, middle-aged and older adults did not differ. Subtle age-related changes in spatial memory may emerge during middle age, particularly when spatial similarity is high.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKenna E Williams
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, USA
| | - Lisa V Graves
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego/La Jolla, California 92120, USA
| | | | - Heather M Holden
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego/La Jolla, California 92120, USA
| | - Nicole E DeFord
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, USA
| | - Paul E Gilbert
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, USA.,Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego/La Jolla, California 92120, USA
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47
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Gaynor LS, Johnson SA, Mizell JM, Campos KT, Maurer AP, Bauer RM, Burke SN. Impaired discrimination with intact crossmodal association in aged rats: A dissociation of perirhinal cortical-dependent behaviors. Behav Neurosci 2018; 132:138-151. [PMID: 29809042 PMCID: PMC5975639 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The perirhinal cortex (PRC) supports associative memory and perception, and PRC dysfunction impairs animals' abilities to associate stimulus features across sensory modalities. PRC damage also leads to deficits in discriminating between stimuli that share features. Although PRC-dependent stimulus discrimination has been shown to be impaired with advanced age, data regarding the abilities of older adults and other animals to form PRC-dependent associations have been equivocal. Moreover, the extent to which similar neural computations within the PRC support associative memory versus discrimination abilities have not been directly examined. In the current study, young and aged rats were cross-characterized on two PRC-dependent crossmodal object recognition (CMOR) tasks to test associative memory, and a LEGO object discrimination task. In the CMOR tasks, rats were familiarized with an object with access to tactile input and then tested for recognition with visual input only. The relative exploration time of novel versus familiar objects indicated that aged rats showed preference for the novel over familiar object with and without an epoch of multimodal preexposure to the familiar object prior to the testing session. Furthermore, crossmodal recognition performance between young and aged rats was not significantly different. In contrast, for the LEGO object discrimination task, aged rats were impaired relative to young rats. Notably, aged rats that performed poorly on the LEGO object discrimination task had better performance on the CMOR tasks. The dissociation of discrimination and association abilities with age suggests that these behaviors rely on distinct neural computations within PRC-medial temporal lobe circuit. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Russell M Bauer
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida
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48
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Muecke H, Richter N, von Reutern B, Kukolja J, Fink GR, Onur OA. Differential Effect of Retroactive Interference on Object and Spatial Memory in the Course of Healthy Aging and Neurodegeneration. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:333. [PMID: 30405401 PMCID: PMC6205971 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: In subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), interference during memory consolidation may further degrade subsequent recall of newly learned information. We investigated whether spatial and object memory are differentially susceptible to interference. Method: Thirty-nine healthy young subjects, 39 healthy older subjects, and 12 subjects suffering from MCI encoded objects and their spatial position on a 4-by-5 grid. Encoding was followed by either: (i) a pause; (ii) an interference task immediately following encoding; or (iii) an interference task following encoding after a 6-min delay. Type of interference (no, early, delayed) was applied in different sessions and order was counterbalanced. Twelve minutes after encoding, subjects saw objects previously presented or new ones. Subjects indicated whether they recognized the object, and if so, the objects' position during encoding. Results: Interference during consolidation provoked a negative effect on spatial memory in young more than older controls. In MCI, object but not spatial memory was affected by interference. Furthermore, a shift from fine- to coarse-grained spatial representation was observed in MCI. No differential effect of early vs. late interference (EI vs. LI) in either of the groups was detected. Conclusions: Data show that consolidation in healthy aging and MCI differs from consolidation in young controls. Data suggest differential processes underlying object and spatial memory and that these are differentially affected by aging and MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Muecke
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nils Richter
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Boris von Reutern
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Juraj Kukolja
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Helios University Hospital Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Gereon R Fink
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Oezguer A Onur
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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49
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Burke SN, Gaynor LS, Barnes CA, Bauer RM, Bizon JL, Roberson ED, Ryan L. Shared Functions of Perirhinal and Parahippocampal Cortices: Implications for Cognitive Aging. Trends Neurosci 2018; 41:349-359. [PMID: 29555181 PMCID: PMC5970964 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
A predominant view of perirhinal cortex (PRC) and postrhinal/parahippocampal cortex (POR/PHC) function contends that these structures are tuned to represent objects and spatial information, respectively. However, known anatomical connectivity, together with recent electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and lesion data, indicate that both brain areas participate in spatial and nonspatial processing. Instead of content-based organization, the PRC and PHC/POR may participate in two computationally distinct cortical-hippocampal networks: one network that is tuned to process coarse information quickly, forming gist-like representations of scenes/environments, and a second network tuned to process information about the specific sensory details that are necessary for discrimination across sensory modalities. The available data suggest that the latter network may be more vulnerable in advanced age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara N Burke
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Leslie S Gaynor
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Carol A Barnes
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Division of Neural Systems Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Russell M Bauer
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Erik D Roberson
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Lee Ryan
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
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50
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Berron D, Neumann K, Maass A, Schütze H, Fliessbach K, Kiven V, Jessen F, Sauvage M, Kumaran D, Düzel E. Age-related functional changes in domain-specific medial temporal lobe pathways. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 65:86-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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