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Ren Y, Chen P, Li Y, Zhou Z, Dong Y, Li S, Qian R, Yang J, Wu J, Yang W. Perceptual training improves audiovisual integration by enhancing alpha-band oscillations and functional connectivity in older adults. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae216. [PMID: 39183363 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae216] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies on perceptual training exist, however, most have focused on the precision of temporal audiovisual perception, while fewer have concentrated on ability promotion for audiovisual integration (AVI). To investigate these issues, continuous 5-day audiovisual perceptual training was applied, during which electroencephalography was performed in response to auditory-only (A), visual-only (V) and audiovisual (AV) stimuli before and after training. The results showed that the perceptual sensitivity was greater for training group than for control group and was greater in the posttest than in the pretest. The response to the AV stimulus was significantly faster in the posttest than in the pretest for the older training group but was significantly greater for A and V stimuli for the younger training group. Electroencephalography analysis found higher P3 AVI amplitudes [AV-(A + V)] in the posttest than in the pretest for training group, which were subsequently reflected by an increased alpha (8-12 Hz) oscillatory response and strengthened global functional connectivity (weighted phase lag index). Furthermore, these facilitations were greater for older training groups than for younger training groups. These results confirm the age-related compensatory mechanism for AVI may be strengthened as audiovisual perceptual training progresses, providing an effective candidate for cognitive intervention in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanna Ren
- Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4, Dongqing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4, Dongqing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4, Dongqing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhou
- Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4, Dongqing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Yanping Dong
- Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4, Dongqing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Shujing Li
- Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4, Dongqing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Runqi Qian
- Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 4, Dongqing Road, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Jiajia Yang
- Applied Brain Science Lab Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 1-1, Tsushimachu 1-chome, Kita-ku, Okayama, 7008530, Japan
| | - Jinglong Wu
- Research Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 1068, Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Weiping Yang
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Hubei University, No. 368, Youyi Avenue, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430062, China
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2
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Décaillet M, Denervaud S, Huguenin-Virchaux C, Besuchet L, Fischer Fumeaux CJ, Murray MM, Schneider J. The impact of premature birth on auditory-visual processes in very preterm schoolchildren. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2024; 9:42. [PMID: 38971881 PMCID: PMC11227572 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-024-00257-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Interactions between stimuli from different sensory modalities and their integration are central to daily life, contributing to improved perception. Being born prematurely and the subsequent hospitalization can have an impact not only on sensory processes, but also on the manner in which information from different senses is combined-i.e., multisensory processes. Very preterm (VPT) children (<32 weeks gestational age) present impaired multisensory processes in early childhood persisting at least through the age of five. However, it remains largely unknown whether and how these consequences persist into later childhood. Here, we evaluated the integrity of auditory-visual multisensory processes in VPT schoolchildren. VPT children (N = 28; aged 8-10 years) received a standardized cognitive assessment and performed a simple detection task at their routine follow-up appointment. The simple detection task involved pressing a button as quickly as possible upon presentation of an auditory, visual, or simultaneous audio-visual stimulus. Compared to full-term (FT) children (N = 23; aged 6-11 years), reaction times of VPT children were generally slower and more variable, regardless of sensory modality. Nonetheless, both groups exhibited multisensory facilitation on mean reaction times and inter-quartile ranges. There was no evidence that standardized cognitive or clinical measures correlated with multisensory gains of VPT children. However, while gains in FT children exceeded predictions based on probability summation and thus forcibly invoked integrative processes, this was not the case for VPT children. Our findings provide evidence of atypical multisensory profiles in VPT children persisting into school-age. These results could help in targeting supportive interventions for this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Décaillet
- Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- The Sense Innovation and Research Center, Lausanne and Sion, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department of Mother-Woman-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Solange Denervaud
- Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cléo Huguenin-Virchaux
- The Sense Innovation and Research Center, Lausanne and Sion, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department of Mother-Woman-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laureline Besuchet
- The Sense Innovation and Research Center, Lausanne and Sion, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department of Mother-Woman-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Céline J Fischer Fumeaux
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department of Mother-Woman-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Micah M Murray
- Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- The Sense Innovation and Research Center, Lausanne and Sion, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Schneider
- The Sense Innovation and Research Center, Lausanne and Sion, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department of Mother-Woman-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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3
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Bolam J, Diaz JA, Andrews M, Coats RO, Philiastides MG, Astill SL, Delis I. A drift diffusion model analysis of age-related impact on multisensory decision-making processes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14895. [PMID: 38942761 PMCID: PMC11213863 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65549-5] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Older adults (OAs) are typically slower and/or less accurate in forming perceptual choices relative to younger adults. Despite perceptual deficits, OAs gain from integrating information across senses, yielding multisensory benefits. However, the cognitive processes underlying these seemingly discrepant ageing effects remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, 212 participants (18-90 years old) performed an online object categorisation paradigm, whereby age-related differences in Reaction Times (RTs) and choice accuracy between audiovisual (AV), visual (V), and auditory (A) conditions could be assessed. Whereas OAs were slower and less accurate across sensory conditions, they exhibited greater RT decreases between AV and V conditions, showing a larger multisensory benefit towards decisional speed. Hierarchical Drift Diffusion Modelling (HDDM) was fitted to participants' behaviour to probe age-related impacts on the latent multisensory decision formation processes. For OAs, HDDM demonstrated slower evidence accumulation rates across sensory conditions coupled with increased response caution for AV trials of higher difficulty. Notably, for trials of lower difficulty we found multisensory benefits in evidence accumulation that increased with age, but not for trials of higher difficulty, in which increased response caution was instead evident. Together, our findings reconcile age-related impacts on multisensory decision-making, indicating greater multisensory evidence accumulation benefits with age underlying enhanced decisional speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Bolam
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PX31, Ireland.
| | - Jessica A Diaz
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Birmingham City University, West Midlands, B15 3HE, UK
| | - Mark Andrews
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Rachel O Coats
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Marios G Philiastides
- School of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G12 8QB, UK
| | - Sarah L Astill
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Ioannis Delis
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
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van der Heijden AC, Thevis J, Verhaegen J, Talamini LM. Sensational Dreams: The Prevalence of Sensory Experiences in Dreaming. Brain Sci 2024; 14:533. [PMID: 38928535 PMCID: PMC11202128 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Dreaming, a widely researched aspect of sleep, often mirrors waking-life experiences. Despite the prevalence of sensory perception during wakefulness, sensory experiences in dreams remain relatively unexplored. Free recall dream reports, where individuals describe their dreams freely, may not fully capture sensory dream experiences. In this study, we developed a dream diary with direct questions about sensory dream experiences. Participants reported sensory experiences in their dreams upon awakening, over multiple days, in a home-based setting (n = 3476 diaries). Our findings show that vision was the most common sensory dream experience, followed by audition and touch. Olfaction and gustation were reported at equally low rates. Multisensory dreams were far more prevalent than unisensory dreams. Additionally, the prevalence of sensory dream experiences varied across emotionally positive and negative dreams. A positive relationship was found between on the one hand sensory richness and, on the other emotional intensity of dreams and clarity of dream recall, for both positive and negative dreams. These results underscore the variety of dream experiences and suggest a link between sensory richness, emotional content and dream recall clarity. Systematic registration of sensory dream experiences offers valuable insights into dream manifestation, aiding the understanding of sleep-related memory consolidation and other aspects of sleep-related information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. van der Heijden
- Department of Psychology, Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.C.v.d.H.); (J.V.)
| | - Jade Thevis
- Department of Psychology, Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.C.v.d.H.); (J.V.)
| | - Jill Verhaegen
- Department of Psychology, Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.C.v.d.H.); (J.V.)
| | - Lucia M. Talamini
- Department of Psychology, Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.C.v.d.H.); (J.V.)
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, 1001 NK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Almeida VN. Somatostatin and the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 96:102270. [PMID: 38484981 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102270] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Among the central features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression are altered levels of the neuropeptide somatostatin (SST), and the colocalisation of SST-positive interneurons (SST-INs) with amyloid-β plaques, leading to cell death. In this theoretical review, I propose a molecular model for the pathogenesis of AD based on SST-IN hypofunction and hyperactivity. Namely, hypofunctional and hyperactive SST-INs struggle to control hyperactivity in medial regions in early stages, leading to axonal Aβ production through excessive presynaptic GABAB inhibition, GABAB1a/APP complex downregulation and internalisation. Concomitantly, excessive SST-14 release accumulates near SST-INs in the form of amyloids, which bind to Aβ to form toxic mixed oligomers. This leads to differential SST-IN death through excitotoxicity, further disinhibition, SST deficits, and increased Aβ release, fibrillation and plaque formation. Aβ plaques, hyperactive networks and SST-IN distributions thereby tightly overlap in the brain. Conversely, chronic stimulation of postsynaptic SST2/4 on gulutamatergic neurons by hyperactive SST-INs promotes intense Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) p38 activity, leading to somatodendritic p-tau staining and apoptosis/neurodegeneration - in agreement with a near complete overlap between p38 and neurofibrillary tangles. This model is suitable to explain some of the principal risk factors and markers of AD progression, including mitochondrial dysfunction, APOE4 genotype, sex-dependent vulnerability, overactive glial cells, dystrophic neurites, synaptic/spine losses, inter alia. Finally, the model can also shed light on qualitative aspects of AD neuropsychology, especially within the domains of spatial and declarative (episodic, semantic) memory, under an overlying pattern of contextual indiscrimination, ensemble instability, interference and generalisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor N Almeida
- Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil; Faculty of Languages, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil.
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Scheller M, Nardini M. Correctly establishing evidence for cue combination via gains in sensory precision: Why the choice of comparator matters. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:2842-2858. [PMID: 37730934 PMCID: PMC11133123 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02227-w] [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] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Studying how sensory signals from different sources (sensory cues) are integrated within or across multiple senses allows us to better understand the perceptual computations that lie at the foundation of adaptive behaviour. As such, determining the presence of precision gains - the classic hallmark of cue combination - is important for characterising perceptual systems, their development and functioning in clinical conditions. However, empirically measuring precision gains to distinguish cue combination from alternative perceptual strategies requires careful methodological considerations. Here, we note that the majority of existing studies that tested for cue combination either omitted this important contrast, or used an analysis approach that, unknowingly, strongly inflated false positives. Using simulations, we demonstrate that this approach enhances the chances of finding significant cue combination effects in up to 100% of cases, even when cues are not combined. We establish how this error arises when the wrong cue comparator is chosen and recommend an alternative analysis that is easy to implement but has only been adopted by relatively few studies. By comparing combined-cue perceptual precision with the best single-cue precision, determined for each observer individually rather than at the group level, researchers can enhance the credibility of their reported effects. We also note that testing for deviations from optimal predictions alone is not sufficient to ascertain whether cues are combined. Taken together, to correctly test for perceptual precision gains, we advocate for a careful comparator selection and task design to ensure that cue combination is tested with maximum power, while reducing the inflation of false positives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Scheller
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
| | - Marko Nardini
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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7
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Begde A, Wilcockson T, Brayne C, Hogervorst E. Visual processing speed and its association with future dementia development in a population-based prospective cohort: EPIC-Norfolk. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5016. [PMID: 38424122 PMCID: PMC10904745 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55637-x] [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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Visual processing deficits have frequently been reported when studied in individuals with dementia, which suggests their potential utility in supporting dementia screening. The study uses EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Cohort Study data (n = 8623) to investigate the role of visual processing speed assessed by the Visual Sensitivity Test (VST) in identifying the risk of future dementia using Cox regression analyses. Individuals with lower scores on the simple and complex VST had a higher probability of a future dementia diagnosis HR1.39 (95% CI 1.12, 1.67, P < 0.01) and HR 1.56 (95% CI 1.27, 1.90, P < 0.01), respectively. Although other more commonly used cognitive dementia screening tests were better predictors of future dementia risk (HR 3.45 for HVLT and HR 2.66, for SF-EMSE), the complex VST showed greater sensitivity to variables frequently associated with dementia risk. Reduced complex visual processing speed is significantly associated with a high likelihood of a future dementia diagnosis and risk/protective factors in this cohort. Combining visual processing tests with other neuropsychological tests could improve the identification of future dementia risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Begde
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK.
| | - Thomas Wilcockson
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK
| | - Carol Brayne
- Department of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Eef Hogervorst
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK
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8
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Loskutova E, Butler JS, Setti A, O'Brien C, Loughman J. Ability to Process Multisensory Information Is Impaired in Open Angle Glaucoma. J Glaucoma 2024; 33:78-86. [PMID: 37974328 DOI: 10.1097/ijg.0000000000002331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
PRCIS Patients with glaucoma demonstrated deficiencies in their ability to process multisensory information when compared with controls, with those deficiencies being related to glaucoma severity. Impaired multisensory integration (MSI) may affect the quality of life in individuals with glaucoma and may contribute to the increased prevalence of falls and driving safety concerns. Therapeutic possibilities to influence cognition in glaucoma should be explored. PURPOSE Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease of the optic nerve that has also been linked to cognitive health decline. This study explored MSI as a function of glaucoma status and severity. METHODS MSI was assessed in 37 participants with open angle glaucoma relative to 18 age-matched healthy controls. The sound-induced flash illusion was used to assess MSI efficiency. Participants were presented with various combinations of simultaneous visual and/or auditory stimuli and were required to indicate the number of visual stimuli observed for each of the 96 total presentations. Central retinal sensitivity was assessed as an indicator of glaucoma severity (MAIA; CenterVue). RESULTS Participants with glaucoma performed with equivalent capacity to healthy controls on unisensory trials ( F1,53 =2.222, P =0.142). Both groups performed equivalently on congruent multisensory trials involving equal numbers of auditory and visual stimuli F1,53 =1.032, P =0.314). For incongruent presentations, that is, 2 beeps and 1 flash stimulus, individuals with glaucoma demonstrated a greater influence of the incongruent beeps when judging the number of flashes, indicating less efficient MSI relative to age-matched controls ( F1,53 =11.45, P <0.002). In addition, MSI performance was positively correlated with retinal sensitivity ( F3,49 =4.042, P <0.025), adjusted R ²=0.15). CONCLUSIONS Individuals with open angle glaucoma exhibited MSI deficiencies that relate to disease severity. The type of deficiencies observed were similar to those observed among older individuals with cognitive impairment and balance issues. Impaired MSI may, therefore, be relevant to the increased prevalence of falls observed among individuals with glaucoma, a concept that merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Loskutova
- Centre for Eye Research Ireland, School of Physics, Clinical & Optometric Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John S Butler
- Centre for Eye Research Ireland, School of Mathematical Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Annalisa Setti
- School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colm O'Brien
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - James Loughman
- Centre for Eye Research Ireland, School of Physics, Clinical & Optometric Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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9
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Frolov N, Pitsik E, Grubov V, Badarin A, Maksimenko V, Zakharov A, Kurkin S, Hramov A. Perceptual Integration Compensates for Attention Deficit in Elderly during Repetitive Auditory-Based Sensorimotor Task. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:6420. [PMID: 37514714 PMCID: PMC10385696 DOI: 10.3390/s23146420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Sensorimotor integration (SI) brain functions that are vital for everyday life tend to decline in advanced age. At the same time, elderly people preserve a moderate level of neuroplasticity, which allows the brain's functionality to be maintained and slows down the process of neuronal degradation. Hence, it is important to understand which aspects of SI are modifiable in healthy old age. The current study focuses on an auditory-based SI task and explores: (i) if the repetition of such a task can modify neural activity associated with SI, and (ii) if this effect is different in young and healthy old age. A group of healthy older subjects and young controls underwent an assessment of the whole-brain electroencephalography (EEG) while repetitively executing a motor task cued by the auditory signal. Using EEG spectral power and functional connectivity analyses, we observed a differential age-related modulation of theta activity throughout the repetition of the SI task. Growth of the anterior stimulus-related theta oscillations accompanied by enhanced right-lateralized frontotemporal phase-locking was found in elderly adults. Their young counterparts demonstrated a progressive increase in prestimulus occipital theta power. Our results suggest that the short-term repetition of the auditory-based SI task modulates sensory processing in the elderly. Older participants most likely progressively improve perceptual integration rather than attention-driven processing compared to their younger counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Frolov
- Laboratory of Dynamics in Biological Systems, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elena Pitsik
- Institute of Neuroscience, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
| | - Vadim Grubov
- Institute of Neuroscience, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
| | - Artem Badarin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
| | - Vladimir Maksimenko
- Institute of Neuroscience, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
| | - Alexander Zakharov
- Institute of Neuroscience, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
| | - Semen Kurkin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
| | - Alexander Hramov
- Institute of Neuroscience, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
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10
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Cui L, Zhang Z, Huang L, Li Q, Guo YH, Guo QH. Dual-stage cognitive assessment: a two-stage screening for cognitive impairment in primary care. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:368. [PMID: 37231438 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04883-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aging population has led to an increased proportion of older adults and cognitively impaired. We designed a brief and flexible two-stage cognitive screening scale, the Dual-Stage Cognitive Assessment (DuCA), for cognitive screening in primary care settings. METHOD In total, 1,772 community-dwelling participants were recruited, including those with normal cognition (NC, n = 1,008), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 633), and Alzheimer's disease (AD, n = 131), and administered a neuropsychological test battery and the DuCA. To improve performance, the DuCA combines visual and auditory memory tests for an enhanced memory function test. RESULTS The correlation coefficient between DuCA-part 1 and DuCA-total was 0.84 (P < 0.001). The correlation coefficients of DuCA-part 1 with Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic (MoCA-B) were 0.66 (P < 0.001) and 0.85 (P < 0.001), respectively. The correlation coefficients of DuCA-total with ACE-III and MoCA-B were 0.78 (P < 0.001) and 0.83 (P < 0.001), respectively. DuCA-Part 1 showed a similar discrimination ability for MCI from NC (area under curve [AUC] = 0.87, 95%CI 0.848-0.883) as ACE III (AUC = 0.86, 95%CI 0.838-0.874) and MoCA-B (AUC = 0.85, 95%CI 0.830-0.868). DuCA-total had a higher AUC (0.93, 95%CI: 0.917-0.942). At different education levels, the AUC was 0.83-0.84 for DuCA-part 1, and 0.89-0.94 for DuCA-total. DuCA-part 1 and DuCA-total's ability to discriminate AD from MCI was 0.84 and 0.93, respectively. CONCLUSION DuCA-Part 1 would aid rapid screening and supplemented with the second part for a complete assessment. DuCA is suited for large-scale cognitive screening in primary care, saving time and eliminating the need for extensively training assessors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Cui
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Lin Huang
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Qinjie Li
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Yi-Han Guo
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Qi-Hao Guo
- Department of Gerontology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China.
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11
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Lin YR, Chi CH, Chang YL. Differential decay of gist and detail memory in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Cortex 2023; 164:112-128. [PMID: 37207409 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) has been identified as a risk factor for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. The medial temporal structures, which are crucial for memory processing, are the earliest affected regions in the brains of patients with aMCI, and episodic memory performance has been identified as a reliable way to discriminate between patients with aMCI and cognitively normal older adults. However, whether the detail and gist memory of patients with aMCI and cognitively normal older adults decay differently remains unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that detail and gist memory would be retrieved differentially, with a larger group performance gap in detail memory than in gist memory. In addition, we explored whether an increasing group performance gap between detail memory and gist memory groups would be observed over a 14-day period. Furthermore, we hypothesized that unisensory (audio-only) and multisensory (audiovisual) encoding would lead to differences in retrievals, with the multisensory condition reducing between and within-group performance gaps observed under the unisensory condition. The analyses conducted were analyses of covariance controlling for age, sex, and education and correlational analyses to examine behavioral performance and the association between behavioral data and brain variables. Compared with cognitively normal older adults, the patients with aMCI performed poorly on both detail and gist memory tests, and this performance gap persisted over time. Moreover, the memory performance of the patients with aMCI was enhanced by the provision of multisensory information, and bimodal input was significantly associated with medial temporal structure variables. Overall, our findings suggest that detail and gist memory decay differently, with a longer lasting group gap in gist memory than in detail memory. Multisensory encoding effectively reduced or overcame the between- and within-group gaps between time intervals, especially for gist memory, compared with unisensory encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ruei Lin
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsing Chi
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ling Chang
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Center for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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12
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Lia A, Sansevero G, Chiavegato A, Sbrissa M, Pendin D, Mariotti L, Pozzan T, Berardi N, Carmignoto G, Fasolato C, Zonta M. Rescue of astrocyte activity by the calcium sensor STIM1 restores long-term synaptic plasticity in female mice modelling Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1590. [PMID: 36949142 PMCID: PMC10033875 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37240-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium dynamics in astrocytes represent a fundamental signal that through gliotransmitter release regulates synaptic plasticity and behaviour. Here we present a longitudinal study in the PS2APP mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) linking astrocyte Ca2+ hypoactivity to memory loss. At the onset of plaque deposition, somatosensory cortical astrocytes of AD female mice exhibit a drastic reduction of Ca2+ signaling, closely associated with decreased endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ concentration and reduced expression of the Ca2+ sensor STIM1. In parallel, astrocyte-dependent long-term synaptic plasticity declines in the somatosensory circuitry, anticipating specific tactile memory loss. Notably, we show that both astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and long-term synaptic plasticity are fully recovered by selective STIM1 overexpression in astrocytes. Our data unveil astrocyte Ca2+ hypoactivity in neocortical astrocytes as a functional hallmark of early AD stages and indicate astrocytic STIM1 as a target to rescue memory deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Lia
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sansevero
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
- Department of NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Angela Chiavegato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Miriana Sbrissa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Diana Pendin
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Letizia Mariotti
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Tullio Pozzan
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Foundation for Advanced Biomedical Research, Padua, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Berardi
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
- Department of NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Giorgio Carmignoto
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Cristina Fasolato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Micaela Zonta
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
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13
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Wang X, Wu Y, Xing Z, Cui X, Gao M, Tang X. Modal-based attention modulates the redundant-signals effect: Role of unimodal target probability. Perception 2023; 52:97-115. [PMID: 36415087 DOI: 10.1177/03010066221136675] [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: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Multisensory integration includes two behavioral manifestations: the modality dominance effect and the redundant-signals effect (RSE). RSE is a multisensory improvement effect in which individuals respond more quickly and accurately to bimodal audiovisual (AV) targets than to unimodal auditory (A) or visual (V) targets. Previous studies have confirmed that RSE is the product of modality interactions between different modalities. The goal of this study was to systematically investigate the effects of the modality dominance manipulated by modal-based attention and unimodal target probability on RSE. The results showed that when paying attention to both the A and V modalities (Exp. 1), RSE was not significantly different between unimodal target probabilities. When selectively paying attention to the A modality (Exp. 2A), RSE was also not significantly different between unimodal target probabilities. However, when selectively paying attention to the V modality (Exp. 2B), the magnitude of RSE showed a significant decreasing trend with the increasing probability of V targets. Our study is the first to reveal that the unimodal target probability significantly modulates RSE in visual selective attention, and this modulatory effect of the unimodal target probability on RSE is opposite to the modulatory effect on the modality dominance effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Min Gao
- 66523Liaoning Normal University, China
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14
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Fisher VL, Dean CL, Nave CS, Parkins EV, Kerkhoff WG, Kwakye LD. Increases in sensory noise predict attentional disruptions to audiovisual speech perception. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 16:1027335. [PMID: 36684833 PMCID: PMC9846366 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1027335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We receive information about the world around us from multiple senses which combine in a process known as multisensory integration. Multisensory integration has been shown to be dependent on attention; however, the neural mechanisms underlying this effect are poorly understood. The current study investigates whether changes in sensory noise explain the effect of attention on multisensory integration and whether attentional modulations to multisensory integration occur via modality-specific mechanisms. A task based on the McGurk Illusion was used to measure multisensory integration while attention was manipulated via a concurrent auditory or visual task. Sensory noise was measured within modality based on variability in unisensory performance and was used to predict attentional changes to McGurk perception. Consistent with previous studies, reports of the McGurk illusion decreased when accompanied with a secondary task; however, this effect was stronger for the secondary visual (as opposed to auditory) task. While auditory noise was not influenced by either secondary task, visual noise increased with the addition of the secondary visual task specifically. Interestingly, visual noise accounted for significant variability in attentional disruptions to the McGurk illusion. Overall, these results strongly suggest that sensory noise may underlie attentional alterations to multisensory integration in a modality-specific manner. Future studies are needed to determine whether this finding generalizes to other types of multisensory integration and attentional manipulations. This line of research may inform future studies of attentional alterations to sensory processing in neurological disorders, such as Schizophrenia, Autism, and ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria L. Fisher
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, United States
- Yale University School of Medicine and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Cassandra L. Dean
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, United States
- Roche/Genentech Neurodevelopment & Psychiatry Teams Product Development, Neuroscience, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Claire S. Nave
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, United States
| | - Emma V. Parkins
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Willa G. Kerkhoff
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Leslie D. Kwakye
- Department of Neuroscience, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, United States
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15
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Alhamdan AA, Murphy MJ, Crewther SG. Age-related decrease in motor contribution to multisensory reaction times in primary school children. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:967081. [PMID: 36158624 PMCID: PMC9493199 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.967081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional measurement of multisensory facilitation in tasks such as speeded motor reaction tasks (MRT) consistently show age-related improvement during early childhood. However, the extent to which motor function increases with age and hence contribute to multisensory motor reaction times in young children has seldom been examined. Thus, we aimed to investigate the contribution of motor development to measures of multisensory (auditory, visual, and audiovisual) and visuomotor processing tasks in three young school age groups of children (n = 69) aged (5-6, n = 21; 7-8, n = 25.; 9-10 n = 18 years). We also aimed to determine whether age-related sensory threshold times for purely visual inspection time (IT) tasks improved significantly with age. Bayesian results showed decisive evidence for age-group differences in multisensory MRT and visuo-motor processing tasks, though the evidence showed that threshold time for visual identification IT performance was only slower in the youngest age group children (5-6) compared to older groups. Bayesian correlations between performance on the multisensory MRT and visuo-motor processing tasks indicated moderate to decisive evidence in favor of the alternative hypothesis (BF10 = 4.71 to 91.346), though not with the threshold IT (BF10 < 1.35). This suggests that visual sensory system development in children older than 6 years makes a less significant contribution to the measure of multisensory facilitation, compared to motor development. In addition to this main finding, multisensory facilitation of MRT within race-model predictions was only found in the oldest group of children (9-10), supporting previous suggestions that multisensory integration is likely to continue into late childhood/early adolescence at least.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej A. Alhamdan
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Psychology, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Melanie J. Murphy
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sheila G. Crewther
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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16
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Almeida VN, Radanovic M. Semantic processing and neurobiology in Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108337. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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17
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The relationship between multisensory associative learning and multisensory integration. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108336. [PMID: 35872233 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Integrating sensory information from multiple modalities leads to more precise and efficient perception and behaviour. The process of determining which sensory information should be perceptually bound is reliant on both low-level stimulus features, as well as multisensory associations learned throughout development based on the statistics of our environment. Here, we explored the relationship between multisensory associative learning and multisensory integration using encephalography (EEG) and behavioural measures. Sixty-one participants completed a three-phase study. First, participants were exposed to novel audiovisual shape-tone pairings with frequent and infrequent stimulus pairings and complete a target detection task. EEG recordings of the mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3 were calculated as neural indices of multisensory associative learning. Next, the same learned stimulus pairs were presented in audiovisual as well as unisensory auditory and visual modalities while both early (<120 ms) and late neural indices of multisensory integration were recorded. Finally, participants completed an analogous behavioural speeded-response task, with behavioural indices of multisensory gain calculated using the Race Model. Significant relationships were found in fronto-central and occipital areas between neural measures of associative learning and both early and late indices of multisensory integration in frontal and centro-parietal areas, respectively. Participants who showed stronger indices of associative learning also exhibited stronger indices of multisensory integration of the stimuli they learned to associate. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between neural index of early multisensory integration and behavioural indices of multisensory gain. These results provide insight into the neural underpinnings of how higher-order processes such as associative learning guide multisensory integration.
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18
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Xiong YZ, Addleman DA, Nguyen NA, Nelson PB, Legge GE. Visual and Auditory Spatial Localization in Younger and Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:838194. [PMID: 35493928 PMCID: PMC9043801 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.838194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual and auditory localization abilities are crucial in real-life tasks such as navigation and social interaction. Aging is frequently accompanied by vision and hearing loss, affecting spatial localization. The purpose of the current study is to elucidate the effect of typical aging on spatial localization and to establish a baseline for older individuals with pathological sensory impairment. Using a verbal report paradigm, we investigated how typical aging affects visual and auditory localization performance, the reliance on vision during sound localization, and sensory integration strategies when localizing audiovisual targets. Fifteen younger adults (N = 15, mean age = 26 years) and thirteen older adults (N = 13, mean age = 68 years) participated in this study, all with age-adjusted normal vision and hearing based on clinical standards. There were significant localization differences between younger and older adults, with the older group missing peripheral visual stimuli at significantly higher rates, localizing central stimuli as more peripheral, and being less precise in localizing sounds from central locations when compared to younger subjects. Both groups localized auditory targets better when the test space was visible compared to auditory localization when blindfolded. The two groups also exhibited similar patterns of audiovisual integration, showing optimal integration in central locations that was consistent with a Maximum-Likelihood Estimation model, but non-optimal integration in peripheral locations. These findings suggest that, despite the age-related changes in auditory and visual localization, the interactions between vision and hearing are largely preserved in older individuals without pathological sensory impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Zi Xiong
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- *Correspondence: Ying-Zi Xiong,
| | - Douglas A. Addleman
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Douglas A. Addleman,
| | - Nam Anh Nguyen
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Peggy B. Nelson
- Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Gordon E. Legge
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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Hirst RJ, Cassarino M, Kenny RA, Newell FN, Setti A. Urban and rural environments differentially shape multisensory perception in ageing. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2022; 29:197-212. [PMID: 33427038 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1859084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that the lived environment can affect cognition across the lifespan. We examined, in a large cohort of older adults (n = 3447), whether susceptibility to a multisensory illusion, the Sound-Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI), was influenced by the reported urbanity of current and childhood (at age 14 years) residence. If urban environments help to shape healthy perceptual function, we predicted reduced SIFI susceptibility in urban dwellers. Participants reporting urban, compared with rural, childhood residence were less susceptible to SIFI at longer Stimulus-Onset Asynchronies (SOAs). Those currently residing in urban environments were more susceptible to SIFI at longer SOAs, particularly if they scored low on general cognitive function. These findings held even when controlling for a several covariates, such as age, sex, education, social participation and cognitive ability. Exposure to urban environments in childhood may influence individual differences in perception and offer a multisensory perceptual benefit in older age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Hirst
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marica Cassarino
- School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Rose Anne Kenny
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Mercer Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona N Newell
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Annalisa Setti
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Johnston PR, Alain C, McIntosh AR. Individual Differences in Multisensory Processing Are Related to Broad Differences in the Balance of Local versus Distributed Information. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:846-863. [PMID: 35195723 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The brain's ability to extract information from multiple sensory channels is crucial to perception and effective engagement with the environment, but the individual differences observed in multisensory processing lack mechanistic explanation. We hypothesized that, from the perspective of information theory, individuals with more effective multisensory processing will exhibit a higher degree of shared information among distributed neural populations while engaged in a multisensory task, representing more effective coordination of information among regions. To investigate this, healthy young adults completed an audiovisual simultaneity judgment task to measure their temporal binding window (TBW), which quantifies the ability to distinguish fine discrepancies in timing between auditory and visual stimuli. EEG was then recorded during a second run of the simultaneity judgment task, and partial least squares was used to relate individual differences in the TBW width to source-localized EEG measures of local entropy and mutual information, indexing local and distributed processing of information, respectively. The narrowness of the TBW, reflecting more effective multisensory processing, was related to a broad pattern of higher mutual information and lower local entropy at multiple timescales. Furthermore, a small group of temporal and frontal cortical regions, including those previously implicated in multisensory integration and response selection, respectively, played a prominent role in this pattern. Overall, these findings suggest that individual differences in multisensory processing are related to widespread individual differences in the balance of distributed versus local information processing among a large subset of brain regions, with more distributed information being associated with more effective multisensory processing. The balance of distributed versus local information processing may therefore be a useful measure for exploring individual differences in multisensory processing, its relationship to higher cognitive traits, and its disruption in neurodevelopmental disorders and clinical conditions.
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Basharat A, Thayanithy A, Barnett-Cowan M. A Scoping Review of Audiovisual Integration Methodology: Screening for Auditory and Visual Impairment in Younger and Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:772112. [PMID: 35153716 PMCID: PMC8829696 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.772112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With the rise of the aging population, many scientists studying multisensory integration have turned toward understanding how this process may change with age. This scoping review was conducted to understand and describe the scope and rigor with which researchers studying audiovisual sensory integration screen for hearing and vision impairment. A structured search in three licensed databases (Scopus, PubMed, and PsychInfo) using the key concepts of multisensory integration, audiovisual modality, and aging revealed 2,462 articles, which were screened for inclusion by two reviewers. Articles were included if they (1) tested healthy older adults (minimum mean or median age of 60) with younger adults as a comparison (mean or median age between 18 and 35), (2) measured auditory and visual integration, (3) were written in English, and (4) reported behavioral outcomes. Articles that included the following were excluded: (1) tested taste exclusively, (2) tested olfaction exclusively, (3) tested somatosensation exclusively, (4) tested emotion perception, (5) were not written in English, (6) were clinical commentaries, editorials, interviews, letters, newspaper articles, abstracts only, or non-peer reviewed literature (e.g., theses), and (7) focused on neuroimaging without a behavioral component. Data pertaining to the details of the study (e.g., country of publication, year of publication, etc.) were extracted, however, of higher importance to our research question, data pertaining to screening measures used for hearing and vision impairment (e.g., type of test used, whether hearing- and visual-aids were worn, thresholds used, etc.) were extracted, collated, and summarized. Our search revealed that only 64% of studies screened for age-abnormal hearing impairment, 51% screened for age-abnormal vision impairment, and that consistent definitions of normal or abnormal vision and hearing were not used among the studies that screened for sensory abilities. A total of 1,624 younger adults and 4,778 older participants were included in the scoping review with males composing approximately 44% and females composing 56% of the total sample and most of the data was obtained from only four countries. We recommend that studies investigating the effects of aging on multisensory integration should screen for normal vision and hearing by using the World Health Organization's (WHO) hearing loss and visual impairment cut-off scores in order to maintain consistency among other aging researchers. As mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been defined as a “transitional” or a “transitory” stage between normal aging and dementia and because approximately 3–5% of the aging population will develop MCI each year, it is therefore important that when researchers aim to study a healthy aging population, that they appropriately screen for MCI. One of our secondary aims was to determine how often researchers were screening for cognitive impairment and the types of tests that were used to do so. Our results revealed that only 55 out of 72 studies tested for neurological and cognitive function, and only a subset used standardized tests. Additionally, among the studies that used standardized tests, the cut-off scores used were not always adequate for screening out mild cognitive impairment. An additional secondary aim of this scoping review was to determine the feasibility of whether a meta-analysis could be conducted in the future to further quantitatively evaluate the results (i.e., are the findings obtained from studies using self-reported vision and hearing impairment screening methods significantly different from those measuring vision and hearing impairment in the lab) and to assess the scope of this problem. We found that it may not be feasible to conduct a meta-analysis with the entire dataset of this scoping review. However, a meta-analysis can be conducted if stricter parameters are used (e.g., focusing on accuracy or response time data only).Systematic Review Registration:https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GTUHD.
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Hirst RJ, Setti A, De Looze C, Kenny RA, Newell FN. Multisensory integration precision is associated with better cognitive performance over time in older adults: A large-scale exploratory study. AGING BRAIN 2022; 2:100038. [PMID: 36908873 PMCID: PMC9997173 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2022.100038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related sensory decline impacts cognitive performance and exposes individuals to a greater risk of cognitive decline. Integration across the senses also changes with age, yet the link between multisensory perception and cognitive ageing is poorly understood. We explored the relationship between multisensory integration and cognitive function in 2875 adults aged 50 + from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Multisensory integration was assessed at several audio-visual temporal asynchronies using the Sound Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI). More precise integration (i.e. less illusion susceptibility with larger temporal asynchronies) was cross-sectionally associated with faster Choice Response Times and Colour Trail Task performance, and fewer errors on the Sustained Attention to Response Task. We then used k-means clustering to identify groups with different 10-year cognitive trajectories on measures available longitudinally; delayed recall, immediate recall and verbal fluency. Across measures, groups with consistently higher performance trajectories had more precise multisensory integration. These findings support broad links between multisensory integration and several cognitive measures, including processing speed, attention and memory, rather than association with any specific subdomain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J. Hirst
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- Corresponding author at: Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Annalisa Setti
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Céline De Looze
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rose Anne Kenny
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- Mercer Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona N. Newell
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
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23
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The illusion of having a large virtual body biases action-specific perception in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24058. [PMID: 34912018 PMCID: PMC8674290 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03571-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The illusion of having a large body makes us perceive objects as smaller than they really are. This action-specific perception effect occurs because we perceive the property of an object (i.e., size) differently according to our unique action capability (i.e., the affordance of body size). Although the body-ownership illusion contributing to this action-specific perception has been studied, its effects remain unclear in neurological patients. We examined the action-specific perception impairments of MCI patients by means of body-ownership illusion in a non-immersive virtual reality environment. Twenty healthy young adults, 21 healthy older adults, and 15 MCI patients were recruited. We assessed their “original-body action-specific perception” and “enlarged-body action-specific perception” using the original and enlarged sizes of their virtual bodies, respectively. The MCI patients’ original-body action-specific perception was no different than that of the healthy controls (p = 0.679). However, the enlarged-body action-specific perception of the MCI patients was significantly biased (p < 0.001). The inclusion of the enlarged-body action-specific perception provides additional discriminative power for early diagnosis of MCI (89.3% accuracy, 75.0% sensitivity, 100.0% specificity, and 87.5% balanced accuracy).
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Sun J, Wang Z, Tian X. Manual Gestures Modulate Early Neural Responses in Loudness Perception. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:634967. [PMID: 34539324 PMCID: PMC8440995 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.634967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
How different sensory modalities interact to shape perception is a fundamental question in cognitive neuroscience. Previous studies in audiovisual interaction have focused on abstract levels such as categorical representation (e.g., McGurk effect). It is unclear whether the cross-modal modulation can extend to low-level perceptual attributes. This study used motional manual gestures to test whether and how the loudness perception can be modulated by visual-motion information. Specifically, we implemented a novel paradigm in which participants compared the loudness of two consecutive sounds whose intensity changes around the just noticeable difference (JND), with manual gestures concurrently presented with the second sound. In two behavioral experiments and two EEG experiments, we investigated our hypothesis that the visual-motor information in gestures would modulate loudness perception. Behavioral results showed that the gestural information biased the judgment of loudness. More importantly, the EEG results demonstrated that early auditory responses around 100 ms after sound onset (N100) were modulated by the gestures. These consistent results in four behavioral and EEG experiments suggest that visual-motor processing can integrate with auditory processing at an early perceptual stage to shape the perception of a low-level perceptual attribute such as loudness, at least under challenging listening conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiu Sun
- Division of Arts and Sciences, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China.,NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziqing Wang
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Tian
- Division of Arts and Sciences, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China.,NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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25
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Völter* C, Peter Thomas* J, Maetzler W, Guthoff R, Grunwald M, Hummel T. Sensory Dysfunction in Old Age. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 118:512-520. [PMID: 34158149 PMCID: PMC8476826 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2021.0212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The senses serve as the crucial interface between the individual and the environment. They are subject to aging and disease processes. METHODS This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in the Medline and Cochrane Library databases. RESULTS Approximately 40% of persons aged 70 to 79 manifest dysfunction in at least one, and more than 25% in multiple senses. Sensory changes are accompanied by diverse comorbidities which depend on the particular sense(s) affected. The presence of sensory deficits is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia (OR: 1.49 [95% confidence interval: 1.12; 1.98] for dysfunction in a single sensory modality, 2.85 [1.88; 4.30] for dysfunction in three or more sensory modalities). The risk of developing depressive symptoms is elevated as well (OR 3.36 [2.28; 4.96]). The individual's ability to cope with the demands of everyday life is largely determined by the ability to carry out multisensory integration, in which the perceptions of the different senses are bound together. This function itself is subject to age-related changes that can be either adaptive or maladaptive; it can, therefore, serve as an indicator for pathological aging processes. CONCLUSION Sensory dysfunction in old age should be detected as early as possible. This implies the need for close collaboration of all of the involved disciplines. It would be desirable to develop sensory screening tests as well as a procedure for testing multisensory integration in routine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Völter*
- * Joint first authors
- Hearing Competence Center, St. Elisabeth- Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ruhr University of Bochum
| | - Jan Peter Thomas*
- * Joint first authors
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, St.-Johannes-Hospital, Dortmund
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kiel
| | - Rainer Guthoff
- Department of Ophthalmology, Düsseldorf University Hospital
| | - Martin Grunwald
- Haptic Research Lab, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Medical Faculty of the Universität Leipzig
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden
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Chen YC, Yeh SL, Tang PF. Age-Related Changes in Audiovisual Simultaneity Perception and Their Relationship With Working Memory. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:1095-1103. [PMID: 32860498 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Perceiving simultaneity of a visual and an auditory signal is critical for humans to integrate these multisensory inputs effectively and respond properly. We examined age-related changes in audiovisual simultaneity perception, and the relationships between this perception and working memory performances with aging. METHODS Audiovisual simultaneity perception of young, middle-aged, and older adults was measured using a simultaneity judgment (SJ) task, in which a flash and a beep were presented at 1 of 11 stimulus-onset asynchronies (SOAs). Participants judged whether these two stimuli were perceived simultaneously. Precision of simultaneity perception, the SOA corresponding to the point of subjective simultaneity (PSS), and response errors at each SOA were estimated using model fitting. The precision and PSS are associated with multisensory perception per se, whereas the response error reflects executive ability when performing the SJ task. Visual working memory of the same middle-aged and older adults was measured using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) beforehand. RESULTS Compared to young adults' performances, middle-aged and older adults showed a decreased precision, a shift of PSS toward the visual-leading SOAs, and increased response errors at the visual-leading SOAs. Among these changes, only the increased response errors correlated with worse spatial recognition memory in middle-aged and older adults. DISCUSSION Age-related decrements in audiovisual simultaneity perception start from middle age and are manifested in both perceptual and executive parameters. Furthermore, higher-order executive ability is plausibly a common cause for age-related degenerations in the audiovisual simultaneity perception and visual working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chuan Chen
- Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Su-Ling Yeh
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Fang Tang
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Chauvin A, Baum S, Phillips NA. Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease Benefit From Audiovisual Speech Cues and Supportive Sentence Context. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:1550-1559. [PMID: 33861623 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Speech perception in noise becomes difficult with age but can be facilitated by audiovisual (AV) speech cues and sentence context in healthy older adults. However, individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may present with deficits in AV integration, potentially limiting the extent to which they can benefit from AV cues. This study investigated the benefit of these cues in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), individuals with AD, and healthy older adult controls. Method This study compared auditory-only and AV speech perception of sentences presented in noise. These sentences had one of two levels of context: high (e.g., "Stir your coffee with a spoon") and low (e.g., "Bob didn't think about the spoon"). Fourteen older controls (M age = 72.71 years, SD = 9.39), 13 individuals with MCI (M age = 79.92 years, SD = 5.52), and nine individuals with probable Alzheimer's-type dementia (M age = 79.38 years, SD = 3.40) completed the speech perception task and were asked to repeat the terminal word of each sentence. Results All three groups benefited (i.e., identified more terminal words) from AV and sentence context. Individuals with MCI showed a smaller AV benefit compared to controls in low-context conditions, suggesting difficulties with AV integration. Individuals with AD showed a smaller benefit in high-context conditions compared to controls, indicating difficulties with AV integration and context use in AD. Conclusions Individuals with MCI and individuals with AD do benefit from AV speech and semantic context during speech perception in noise (albeit to a lower extent than healthy older adults). This suggests that engaging in face-to-face communication and providing ample context will likely foster more effective communication between patients and caregivers, professionals, and loved ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Chauvin
- Department of Psychology/Centre for Research in Human Development, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Shari Baum
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Natalie A Phillips
- Department of Psychology/Centre for Research in Human Development, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Bloomfield Centre for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Jones SA, Noppeney U. Ageing and multisensory integration: A review of the evidence, and a computational perspective. Cortex 2021; 138:1-23. [PMID: 33676086 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The processing of multisensory signals is crucial for effective interaction with the environment, but our ability to perform this vital function changes as we age. In the first part of this review, we summarise existing research into the effects of healthy ageing on multisensory integration. We note that age differences vary substantially with the paradigms and stimuli used: older adults often receive at least as much benefit (to both accuracy and response times) as younger controls from congruent multisensory stimuli, but are also consistently more negatively impacted by the presence of intersensory conflict. In the second part, we outline a normative Bayesian framework that provides a principled and computationally informed perspective on the key ingredients involved in multisensory perception, and how these are affected by ageing. Applying this framework to the existing literature, we conclude that changes to sensory reliability, prior expectations (together with attentional control), and decisional strategies all contribute to the age differences observed. However, we find no compelling evidence of any age-related changes to the basic inference mechanisms involved in multisensory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Jones
- The Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
| | - Uta Noppeney
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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29
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Spence C, Youssef J. Aging and the (Chemical) Senses: Implications for Food Behaviour Amongst Elderly Consumers. Foods 2021; 10:foods10010168. [PMID: 33467624 PMCID: PMC7830801 DOI: 10.3390/foods10010168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing aging population are increasingly suffering from the negative health consequences of the age-related decline in their senses, especially their chemical senses. Unfortunately, however, unlike for the higher senses of vision and hearing, there is currently nothing that can be done to bring back the chemical senses once they are lost (or have started their inevitable decline). The evidence suggests that such chemosensory changes can result in a range of maladaptive food behaviours, including the addition of more salt and sugar to food and drink in order to experience the same taste intensity while, at the same time, reducing their overall consumption because food has lost its savour. Here, though, it is also important to stress the importance of the more social aspects of eating and drinking, given the evidence suggesting that a growing number of older individuals are consuming more of their meals alone than ever before. Various solutions have been put forward in order to try to enhance the food experience amongst the elderly, including everything from optimising the product-intrinsic food inputs provided to the remaining functional senses through to a variety of digital interventions. Ultimately, however, the aim has to be to encourage healthier patterns of food consumption amongst this rapidly-growing section of the population by optimising the sensory, nutritional, social, and emotional aspects of eating and drinking. An experimental dinner with the residents of one such home where nostalgic-flavoured healthy ice-creams were served is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Spence
- Crossmodal Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Anna Watts Building, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Jozef Youssef
- Kitchen Theory, Unit 9A Alston Works, London EN5 4EL, UK;
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Sensory capability and information integration independently explain the cognitive status of healthy older adults. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22437. [PMID: 33384454 PMCID: PMC7775431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
While there is evidence that sensory processing and multisensory integration change with age, links between these alterations and their relation to cognitive status remain unclear. In this study, we assessed sensory thresholds and performance of healthy younger and older adults in a visuotactile delayed match-to-sample task. Using Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM), we explored the factors explaining cognitive status in the group of older adults. Additionally, we applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to a parieto-central network found to underlie visuotactile interactions and working memory matching in our previous work. Response times and signal detection measures indicated enhanced multisensory integration and enhanced benefit from successful working memory matching in older adults. Further, tACS caused a frequency-specific speeding (20 Hz) and delaying (70 Hz) of responses. Data exploration suggested distinct underlying factors for sensory acuity and sensitivity d’ on the one side, and multisensory and working memory enhancement on the other side. Finally, BSEM showed that these two factors labelled ‘sensory capability’ and ‘information integration’ independently explained cognitive status. We conclude that sensory decline and enhanced information integration might relate to distinct processes of ageing and discuss a potential role of the parietal cortex in mediating augmented integration in older adults.
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31
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Hirst RJ, Whelan R, Boyle R, Setti A, Knight S, O'Connor J, Williamson W, McMorrow J, Fagan AJ, Meaney JF, Kenny RA, De Looze C, Newell FN. Gray matter volume in the right angular gyrus is associated with differential patterns of multisensory integration with aging. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 100:83-90. [PMID: 33508565 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Multisensory perception might provide an important marker of brain function in aging. However, the cortical structures supporting multisensory perception in aging are poorly understood. In this study, we compared regional gray matter volume in a group of middle-aged (n = 101; 49-64 years) and older (n = 116; 71-87 years) adults from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging using voxel-based morphometry. Participants completed a measure of multisensory integration, the sound-induced flash illusion, and were grouped as per their illusion susceptibility. A significant interaction was observed in the right angular gyrus; in the middle-aged group, larger gray matter volume corresponded to stronger illusion perception while in older adults larger gray matter corresponded to less illusion susceptibility. This interaction remained significant even when controlling for a range of demographic, sensory, cognitive, and health variables. These findings show that multisensory integration is associated with specific structural differences in the aging brain and highlight the angular gyrus as a possible "cross-modal hub" associated with age-related change in multisensory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Hirst
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rory Boyle
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Annalisa Setti
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Silvin Knight
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John O'Connor
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Wilby Williamson
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Physiology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jason McMorrow
- The National Centre for Advanced Medical Imaging (CAMI), St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Andrew J Fagan
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - James F Meaney
- The National Centre for Advanced Medical Imaging (CAMI), St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rose Anne Kenny
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Mercer Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Céline De Looze
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Fiona N Newell
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Motealleh A, Sinaei E, Nouraddinifard E, Rezaei I. Comparison of postural control in older adults under different dual-task conditions: A cross-sectional study. J Bodyw Mov Ther 2020; 26:443-447. [PMID: 33992281 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2020.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND and purpose: Performing a cognitive task while maintaining postural stability, known as "dual-task" condition, can increase the cognitive demand and reduce the postural control capacity. The inability to allocate attention to postural control under dual-task conditions may lead to balance impairments, particularly in older adults. The present study aimed to compare the effects of different dual-task conditions of backward counting (BC) and visual attention (VA) on older adults' postural balance performance. METHODS Twenty asymptomatic volunteers (mean age: 70.4 ± 4.1 years) were recruited. Participants stood on a foam surface placed over a force plate, and displacement and sway velocity of their center of pressure (COP) in anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions were recorded under three conditions: BC dual-task, VA dual-task (control of center of mass with a laser pointer), and quiet stance as the control task (CT). RESULTS Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant difference in AP and ML sway velocities between conditions with p-values of 0.039 and 0.042, respectively. The LSD post-hoc test revealed that the BC task significantly increased AP sway velocity compared to the CT (p = 0.013), and the VA task significantly increased ML sway velocity compared to the CT (p = 0.034) and the BC tasks (p = 0.026). There were no statistically significant differences between conditions for ML (p = 0.058) and AP (p = 0.350) displacements and total sway velocity (p = 0.051). CONCLUSION Older adults' postural stability can be impaired under dual-task conditions and the present study revealed that various dual tasks increase postural sway in different directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Motealleh
- Physical Therapy Department, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Rehabilitation Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Ehsan Sinaei
- Rehabilitation Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | | | - Iman Rezaei
- Physical Therapy Department, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Rehabilitation Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Sorrentino G, Franza M, Zuber C, Blanke O, Serino A, Bassolino M. How ageing shapes body and space representations: A comparison study between healthy young and older adults. Cortex 2020; 136:56-76. [PMID: 33460913 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
To efficiently interact with the external world, the brain needs to represent the size of the involved body parts - body representations (BR) - and the space around the body in which the interactions with the environment take place - peripersonal space representation (PPS). BR and PPS are both highly flexible, being updated by the continuous flow of sensorimotor signals between the brain and the body, as observed for example after tool-use or immobilization. The progressive decline of sensorimotor abilities typically described in ageing could thus influence BR and PPS representations in the older adults. To explore this hypothesis, we compared BR and PPS in healthy young and older participants. By focusing on the upper limb, we adapted tasks previously used to evaluate BR and PPS plasticity, i.e., the body-landmarks localization task and audio-tactile interaction task, together with a new task targeting explicit BR (avatar adjustment task, AAT). Results show significantly higher distortions in the older rather than young participants in the perceived metric characteristic of the upper limbs. We found significant modifications in the implicit BR of the global shape (length and width) of both upper limbs, together with an underestimation in the arm length. Similar effects were also observed in the AAT task. Finally, both young and older adults showed equivalent multisensory facilitation in the space close to the hand, suggesting an intact PPS representation. Together, these findings demonstrated significant alterations of implicit and explicit BR in the older participants, probably associated with a less efficient contribution of bodily information typically subjected to age-related decline, whereas the comparable PPS representation in both groups could be supported by preserved multisensory abilities in older participants. These results provide novel empirical insight on how multiple representations of the body in space, subserving actions and perception, are shaped by the normal course of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuliana Sorrentino
- Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus SUVA, Sion, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Franza
- Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus SUVA, Sion, Switzerland
| | - Charlène Zuber
- Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus SUVA, Sion, Switzerland; Master of Science, University of Applied Sciences of Western, Switzerland
| | - Olaf Blanke
- Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus SUVA, Sion, Switzerland; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Serino
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; MySpace Lab, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Switzerland
| | - Michela Bassolino
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Neuroprosthetics, School of Life Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Campus SUVA, Sion, Switzerland; School of Health Sciences, HES-SO Valais-Wallis, Sion, Switzerland.
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O'Brien JM, Chan JS, Setti A. Audio-Visual Training in Older Adults: 2-Interval-Forced Choice Task Improves Performance. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:569212. [PMID: 33304234 PMCID: PMC7693639 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.569212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing interest in ameliorating multisensory perception deficits in older adults arises from recent evidence showing that impaired multisensory processing, particularly in the temporal domain, may be associated with cognitive and functional impairments. Perceptual training has proved successful in improving multisensory temporal processing in young adults, but few studies have investigated this training approach in older adults. In the present study we used a simultaneity (or synchronicity) judgement task with feedback, to train the audio-visual abilities of community-dwelling, cognitively healthy older adults. We recruited 23 older adults (M = 74.17, SD = 6.23) and a group of 20 young adults (M = 24.20, SD = 4.23) who served as a comparison. Participants were tested before and after perceptual training using a 2-Interval Forced Choice Task (2-IFC); and the Sound-Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI). After 3 days of training, participants improved on the 2-IFC task, with a significant narrowing of the temporal window of integration (TWI) found for both groups. Generalization of training effects was not found, with no post-training differences in perceptual sensitivity to the SIFI for either group. These findings provide evidence perceptual narrowing can be achieved in older as well as younger adults after 3 days of perceptual training. These results provide useful information for future studies attempting to improve audio-visual temporal discrimination abilities in older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M O'Brien
- School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jason S Chan
- School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Annalisa Setti
- School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Kucharik M, Kosutzka Z, Pucik J, Hajduk M, Saling M. Processing moving visual scenes during upright stance in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10363. [PMID: 33240666 PMCID: PMC7680028 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ability to maintain balance in an upright stance gradually worsens with age and is even more difficult for patients with cognitive disorders. Cognitive impairment plays a probable role in the worsening of stability. The purpose of this study was to expose subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy, age-matched controls to moving visual scenes in order to examine their postural adaptation abilities. Methods We observed postural responses to moving visual stimulation while subjects stood on a force platform. The visual disturbance was created by interposing a moving picture in four directions (forward, backward, right, and left). The pre-stimulus (a static scene for 10 s), stimulus (a dynamic visual scene for 20 seconds) and post-stimulus (a static scene for 20 seconds) periods were evaluated. We separately analyzed the total path (TP) of the center of pressure (COP) and the root mean square (RMS) of the COP displacement in all four directions. Results We found differences in the TP of the COP during the post-stimulus period for all stimulus directions except in motion towards the subject (left p = 0.006, right p = 0.004, and away from the subject p = 0.009). Significant RMS differences between groups were also observed during the post-stimulus period in all directions except when directed towards the subject (left p = 0.002, right p = 0.007, and away from the subject p = 0.014). Conclusion Exposing subjects to a moving visual scene induced greater destabilization in MCI subjects compared to healthy elderly controls. Surprisingly, the moving visual scene also induced significant aftereffects in the MCI group. Our findings indicate that the MCI group had diminished adaptation to the dynamic visual scene and recovery. These results suggest that even mild cognitive deficits can impair sensory information integration and alter the sensory re-weighing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kucharik
- Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Kosutzka
- Second Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Pucik
- Institute of Electronics and Photonics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Michal Hajduk
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Center for Psychiatric Disorders Research-Science Park, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marian Saling
- Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Second Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Maitre NL, Key AP, Slaughter JC, Yoder PJ, Neel ML, Richard C, Wallace MT, Murray MM. Neonatal Multisensory Processing in Preterm and Term Infants Predicts Sensory Reactivity and Internalizing Tendencies in Early Childhood. Brain Topogr 2020; 33:586-599. [PMID: 32785800 PMCID: PMC7429553 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-020-00791-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Multisensory processes include the capacity to combine information from the different senses, often improving stimulus representations and behavior. The extent to which multisensory processes are an innate capacity or instead require experience with environmental stimuli remains debated. We addressed this knowledge gap by studying multisensory processes in prematurely born and full-term infants. We recorded 128-channel event-related potentials (ERPs) from a cohort of 55 full-term and 61 preterm neonates (at an equivalent gestational age) in response to auditory, somatosensory, and combined auditory-somatosensory multisensory stimuli. Data were analyzed within an electrical neuroimaging framework, involving unsupervised topographic clustering of the ERP data. Multisensory processing in full-term infants was characterized by a simple linear summation of responses to auditory and somatosensory stimuli alone, which furthermore shared common ERP topographic features. We refer to the ERP topography observed in full-term infants as "typical infantile processing" (TIP). In stark contrast, preterm infants exhibited non-linear responses and topographies less-often characterized by TIP; there were distinct patterns of ERP topographies to multisensory and summed unisensory conditions. We further observed that the better TIP characterized an infant's ERPs, independently of prematurity, the more typical was the score on the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile (ITSP) at 12 months of age and the less likely was the child to the show internalizing tendencies at 24 months of age. Collectively, these results highlight striking differences in the brain's responses to multisensory stimuli in children born prematurely; differences that relate to later sensory and internalizing functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie L Maitre
- Center for Perinatal Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Way, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA.
| | - Alexandra P Key
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - James C Slaughter
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paul J Yoder
- Department of Special Education, Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mary Lauren Neel
- Center for Perinatal Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Céline Richard
- Center for Perinatal Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Departments of Psychology and Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Micah M Murray
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), Department of Radiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Sensory, Perceptual, and Cognitive Neuroscience Section, Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fondation Asile des aveugles and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Denervaud S, Gentaz E, Matusz PJ, Murray MM. Multisensory Gains in Simple Detection Predict Global Cognition in Schoolchildren. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1394. [PMID: 32019951 PMCID: PMC7000735 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58329-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity to integrate information from different senses is central for coherent perception across the lifespan from infancy onwards. Later in life, multisensory processes are related to cognitive functions, such as speech or social communication. During learning, multisensory processes can in fact enhance subsequent recognition memory for unisensory objects. These benefits can even be predicted; adults' recognition memory performance is shaped by earlier responses in the same task to multisensory - but not unisensory - information. Everyday environments where learning occurs, such as classrooms, are inherently multisensory in nature. Multisensory processes may therefore scaffold healthy cognitive development. Here, we provide the first evidence of a predictive relationship between multisensory benefits in simple detection and higher-level cognition that is present already in schoolchildren. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the extent to which a child (N = 68; aged 4.5-15years) exhibited multisensory benefits on a simple detection task not only predicted benefits on a continuous recognition task involving naturalistic objects (p = 0.009), even when controlling for age, but also the same relative multisensory benefit also predicted working memory scores (p = 0.023) and fluid intelligence scores (p = 0.033) as measured using age-standardised test batteries. By contrast, gains in unisensory detection did not show significant prediction of any of the above global cognition measures. Our findings show that low-level multisensory processes predict higher-order memory and cognition already during childhood, even if still subject to ongoing maturation. These results call for revision of traditional models of cognitive development (and likely also education) to account for the role of multisensory processing, while also opening exciting opportunities to facilitate early learning through multisensory programs. More generally, these data suggest that a simple detection task could provide direct insights into the integrity of global cognition in schoolchildren and could be further developed as a readily-implemented and cost-effective screening tool for neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in cases when standard neuropsychological tests are infeasible or unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Denervaud
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), Department of Radiology, Vaudois University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- The Center for Affective Sciences (CISA), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Edouard Gentaz
- The Center for Affective Sciences (CISA), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (FAPSE), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pawel J Matusz
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), Department of Radiology, Vaudois University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Information Systems Institute at the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO Valais), 3960, Sierre, Switzerland
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Micah M Murray
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), Department of Radiology, Vaudois University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fondation Asile des aveugles and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Sensory, Cognitive and Perceptual Neuroscience Section, Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) of Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Scurry AN, Vercillo T, Nicholson A, Webster M, Jiang F. Aging Impairs Temporal Sensitivity, but not Perceptual Synchrony, Across Modalities. Multisens Res 2019; 32:671-692. [PMID: 31059487 DOI: 10.1163/22134808-20191343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Encoding the temporal properties of external signals that comprise multimodal events is a major factor guiding everyday experience. However, during the natural aging process, impairments to sensory processing can profoundly affect multimodal temporal perception. Various mechanisms can contribute to temporal perception, and thus it is imperative to understand how each can be affected by age. In the current study, using three different temporal order judgement tasks (unisensory, multisensory, and sensorimotor), we investigated the effects of age on two separate temporal processes: synchronization and integration of multiple signals. These two processes rely on different aspects of temporal information, either the temporal alignment of processed signals or the integration/segregation of signals arising from different modalities, respectively. Results showed that the ability to integrate/segregate multiple signals decreased with age regardless of the task, and that the magnitude of such impairment correlated across tasks, suggesting a widespread mechanism affected by age. In contrast, perceptual synchrony remained stable with age, revealing a distinct intact mechanism. Overall, results from this study suggest that aging has differential effects on temporal processing, and general impairments with aging may impact global temporal sensitivity while context-dependent processes remain unaffected.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tiziana Vercillo
- 2Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Alexis Nicholson
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Michael Webster
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Fang Jiang
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Brenowitz WD, Kaup AR, Lin FR, Yaffe K. Multiple Sensory Impairment Is Associated With Increased Risk of Dementia Among Black and White Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2019; 74:890-896. [PMID: 30452551 PMCID: PMC6521912 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/gly264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have examined impairment in multiple senses (multisensory impairment) and risk of dementia in comparison to having a single or no sensory impairment. METHODS We studied 1,810 black and white nondemented participants from Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study aged 70-79 years at enrollment. Sensory impairment was determined at our study baseline (Year 3-5 of Health ABC) using established cut points for vision (Bailey-Lovie visual acuity and Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity test), hearing (audiometric testing), smell (12-item Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test), and touch (peripheral nerve function tests). Incident dementia over 10 years of follow-up was based on hospitalization records, dementia medications, or at least 1.5 SD decline in Modified Mini-Mental State Examination score (race-specific). Cox proportional hazard models with adjustment for demographics, health behaviors, and health conditions evaluated the relationship between risk of dementia and increasing number of sensory impairments. RESULTS Sensory impairments were common: 28% had visual impairment, 35% had hearing loss, 22% had poor smell, 12% had touch insensitivity; 26% had more than two impairments, and 5.6% had more than three sensory impairments. Number of impairments was associated with risk of dementia in a graded fashion (p < .001). Compared to no sensory impairments, the adjusted hazard ratio was 1.49 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.98) for one sensory impairment, 1.91 (95% CI: 1.39, 2.63) for two sensory impairments, and 2.85 (95% CI: 1.88, 4.30) for more than three sensory impairments. CONCLUSIONS Multisensory impairment was strongly associated with increased risk of dementia. Although, the nature of this relationship needs further investigation, sensory function assessment in multiple domains may help identify patients at high risk of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willa D Brenowitz
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Allison R Kaup
- San Francisco VA Health Care System, California
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Frank R Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Epidemiology
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Kristine Yaffe
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
- San Francisco VA Health Care System, California
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco
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40
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Cieśla K, Wolak T, Lorens A, Heimler B, Skarżyński H, Amedi A. Immediate improvement of speech-in-noise perception through multisensory stimulation via an auditory to tactile sensory substitution. Restor Neurol Neurosci 2019; 37:155-166. [PMID: 31006700 PMCID: PMC6598101 DOI: 10.3233/rnn-190898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hearing loss is becoming a real social and health problem. Its prevalence in the elderly is an epidemic. The risk of developing hearing loss is also growing among younger people. If left untreated, hearing loss can perpetuate development of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia. Despite recent advancements in hearing aid (HA) and cochlear implant (CI) technologies, hearing impaired users still encounter significant practical and social challenges, with or without aids. In particular, they all struggle with understanding speech in challenging acoustic environments, especially in presence of a competing speaker. OBJECTIVES In the current proof-of-concept study we tested whether multisensory stimulation, pairing audition and a minimal-size touch device would improve intelligibility of speech in noise. METHODS To this aim we developed an audio-to-tactile sensory substitution device (SSD) transforming low-frequency speech signals into tactile vibrations delivered on two finger tips. Based on the inverse effectiveness law, i.e., multisensory enhancement is strongest when signal-to-noise ratio is lowest between senses, we embedded non-native language stimuli in speech-like noise and paired it with a low-frequency input conveyed through touch. RESULTS We found immediate and robust improvement in speech recognition (i.e. in the Signal-To-Noise-ratio) in the multisensory condition without any training, at a group level as well as in every participant. The reported improvement at the group-level of 6 dB was indeed major considering that an increase of 10 dB represents a doubling of the perceived loudness. CONCLUSIONS These results are especially relevant when compared to previous SSD studies showing effects in behavior only after a demanding cognitive training. We discuss the implications of our results for development of SSDs and of specific rehabilitation programs for the hearing impaired either using or not using HAs or CIs. We also discuss the potential application of such a set-up for sense augmentation, such as when learning a new language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Cieśla
- Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, World Hearing Center, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tomasz Wolak
- Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, World Hearing Center, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Lorens
- Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, World Hearing Center, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Benedetta Heimler
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Henryk Skarżyński
- Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, World Hearing Center, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Amir Amedi
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Cognitive Science Program, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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