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Parimoo S, Grady C, Olsen R. Age-related Differences in Response Inhibition Are Mediated by Frontoparietal White Matter but Not Functional Activity. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:1184-1205. [PMID: 38579242 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Healthy older adults often exhibit lower performance but increased functional recruitment of the frontoparietal control network during cognitive control tasks. According to the cortical disconnection hypothesis, age-related changes in the microstructural integrity of white matter may disrupt inter-regional neuronal communication, which in turn can impair behavioral performance. Here, we use fMRI and diffusion-weighted imaging to determine whether age-related differences in white matter microstructure contribute to frontoparietal over-recruitment and behavioral performance during a response inhibition (go/no-go) task in an adult life span sample (n = 145). Older and female participants were slower (go RTs) than younger and male participants, respectively. However, participants across all ages were equally accurate on the no-go trials, suggesting some participants may slow down on go trials to achieve high accuracy on no-go trials. Across the life span, functional recruitment of the frontoparietal network within the left and right hemispheres did not vary as a function of age, nor was it related to white matter fractional anisotropy (FA). In fact, only frontal FA and go RTs jointly mediated the association between age and no-go accuracy. Our results therefore suggest that frontal white matter cortical "disconnection" is an underlying driver of age-related differences in cognitive control, and white matter FA may not fully explain functional task-related activation in the frontoparietal network during the go/no-go task. Our findings add to the literature by demonstrating that white matter may be more important for certain cognitive processes in aging than task-related functional activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shireen Parimoo
- University of Toronto
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada
| | - Cheryl Grady
- University of Toronto
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rosanna Olsen
- University of Toronto
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada
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2
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Baciu M, Roger E. Finding the Words: How Does the Aging Brain Process Language? A Focused Review of Brain Connectivity and Compensatory Pathways. Top Cogn Sci 2024. [PMID: 38734967 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12736] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
As people age, there is a natural decline in cognitive functioning and brain structure. However, the relationship between brain function and cognition in older adults is neither straightforward nor uniform. Instead, it is complex, influenced by multiple factors, and can vary considerably from one person to another. Reserve, compensation, and maintenance mechanisms may help explain why some older adults can maintain high levels of performance while others struggle. These mechanisms are often studied concerning memory and executive functions that are particularly sensitive to the effects of aging. However, language abilities can also be affected by age, with changes in production fluency. The impact of brain changes on language abilities needs to be further investigated to understand the dynamics and patterns of aging, especially successful aging. We previously modeled several compensatory profiles of language production and lexical access/retrieval in aging within the Lexical Access and Retrieval in Aging (LARA) model. In the present paper, we propose an extended version of the LARA model, called LARA-Connectivity (LARA-C), incorporating recent evidence on brain connectivity. Finally, we discuss factors that may influence the strategies implemented with aging. The LARA-C model can serve as a framework to understand individual performance and open avenues for possible personalized interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Baciu
- LPNC, Psychology Department, Grenoble Alps University
- Neurology Department, Grenoble Alps University Hospital
| | - Elise Roger
- LPNC, Psychology Department, Grenoble Alps University
- Communication and Aging Laboratory, Research Center of the University Institute of Geriatrics of Montreal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal
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3
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Pamir Z, Manley CE, Bauer CM, Bex PJ, Dilks DD, Merabet LB. Visuospatial processing in early brain-based visual impairment is associated with differential recruitment of dorsal and ventral visual streams. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae203. [PMID: 38795357 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae203] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Visuospatial processing impairments are prevalent in individuals with cerebral visual impairment (CVI) and are typically ascribed to "dorsal stream dysfunction" (DSD). However, the contribution of other cortical regions, including early visual cortex (EVC), frontal cortex, or the ventral visual stream, to such impairments remains unknown. Thus, here, we examined fMRI activity in these regions, while individuals with CVI (and neurotypicals) performed a visual search task within a dynamic naturalistic scene. First, behavioral performance was measured with eye tracking. Participants were instructed to search and follow a walking human target. CVI participants took significantly longer to find the target, and their eye gaze patterns were less accurate and less precise. Second, we used the same task in the MRI scanner. Along the dorsal stream, activation was reduced in CVI participants, consistent with the proposed DSD in CVI. Intriguingly, however, visual areas along the ventral stream showed the complete opposite pattern, with greater activation in CVI participants. In contrast, we found no differences in either EVC or frontal cortex between groups. These results suggest that the impaired visuospatial processing abilities in CVI are associated with differential recruitment of the dorsal and ventral visual streams, likely resulting from impaired selective attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahide Pamir
- Department of Psychology & Department of Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Üniversiteler, Çankaya/Ankara 06800, Turkey
- Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center, Bilkent University, Üniversiteler, Çankaya/Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Claire E Manley
- The Laboratory for Visual Neuroplasticity, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, 20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Corinna M Bauer
- Lab for Neuroimaging and Vision Science, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 125 Nashua St. Suite 660, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Peter J Bex
- The Translational Vision Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 105-107 Forsyth St #125, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Daniel D Dilks
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lotfi B Merabet
- The Laboratory for Visual Neuroplasticity, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, 20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Ding Q, Ou Z, Yao S, Wu C, Chen J, Shen J, Lan Y, Xu G. Cortical activation and brain network efficiency during dual tasks: An fNIRS study. Neuroimage 2024; 289:120545. [PMID: 38367652 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120545] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Dual task (DT) is a commonly used paradigm indicative of executive functions. Brain activities during DT walking is usually measured by portable functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Previous studies focused on cortical activation in prefrontal cortex and overlooked other brain regions such as sensorimotor cortices. This study is aimed at investigating the modulations of cortical activation and brain network efficiency in multiple brain regions from single to dual tasks with different complexities and their relationships with DT performance. METHODS Forty-two healthy adults [12 males; mean age: 27.7 (SD=6.5) years] participated in this study. Participants performed behavioral tasks with portable fNIRS simultaneous recording. There were three parts of behavioral tasks: cognitive tasks while standing (serial subtraction of 3's and 7's), walking alone and DT (walk while subtraction, including serial subtraction of 3's and 7's). Cognitive cost, walking cost and cost sum (i.e., sum of cognitive and walking costs) were calculated for DT. Cortical activation, local and global network efficiency were calculated for each task. RESULTS The cognitive cost was greater and the walking cost was less during DT with subtraction 3's compared with 7's (P's = 0.032 and 0.019, respectively). Cortical activation and network efficiency were differentially modulated among single and dual tasks (P's < 0.05). Prefrontal activation during DT was positively correlated with DT costs, while network efficiency was negatively correlated with DT costs (P's < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed prefrontal over-activation and reduced network efficiency in individuals with poor DT performance. Our findings suggest that reduced network efficiency could be a possible mechanism contributing to poor DT performance, which is accompanied by compensatory prefrontal over-activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Ding
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zitong Ou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shantong Yao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junhui Shen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Lan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Guangqing Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Weisberg SM, Ebner NC, Seidler RD. Getting LOST: A conceptual framework for supporting and enhancing spatial navigation in aging. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2024; 15:e1669. [PMID: 37933623 PMCID: PMC10939954 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Spatial navigation is more difficult and effortful for older than younger individuals, a shift which occurs for a variety of neurological, physical, and cognitive reasons associated with aging. Despite a large body of evidence documenting age-related deficits in spatial navigation, comparatively less research addresses how to facilitate more effective navigation behavior for older adults. Since navigation challenges arise for a variety of reasons in old age, a one-size-fits-all solution is unlikely to work. Here, we introduce a framework for the variety of spatial navigation challenges faced in aging, which we call LOST-Location, Orientation, Spatial mapping, and Transit. The LOST framework builds on evidence from the cognitive neuroscience of spatial navigation, which reveals distinct components underpinning human wayfinding. We evaluate research on navigational aids-devices and depictions-which help people find their way around; and we reflect on how navigation aids solve (or fail to solve) specific wayfinding difficulties faced by older adults. In summary, we emphasize a bespoke approach to improving spatial navigation in aging, which focuses on tailoring navigation solutions to specific navigation challenges. Our hope is that by providing precise support to older navigators, navigation opportunities can facilitate independence and exploration, while minimizing the danger of becoming lost. We conclude by delineating critical knowledge gaps in how to improve older adults' spatial navigation capacities that the novel LOST framework could guide to address. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Development and Aging Neuroscience > Cognition Neuroscience > Behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Weisberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Physiology and Aging, University of Florida, 1345 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610-0274
| | - Rachael D. Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Normal Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, 3009 SW Williston Rd. 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32608
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Ross D, Wagshul ME, Izzetoglu M, Holtzer R. Cortical thickness moderates intraindividual variability in prefrontal cortex activation patterns of older adults during walking. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2024; 30:117-127. [PMID: 37366047 PMCID: PMC10751394 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617723000371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Increased intraindividual variability (IIV) in behavioral and cognitive performance is a risk factor for adverse outcomes but research concerning hemodynamic signal IIV is limited. Cortical thinning occurs during aging and is associated with cognitive decline. Dual-task walking (DTW) performance in older adults has been related to cognition and neural integrity. We examined the hypothesis that reduced cortical thickness would be associated with greater increases in IIV in prefrontal cortex oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) from single tasks to DTW in healthy older adults while adjusting for behavioral performance. METHOD Participants were 55 healthy community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 74.84, standard deviation (SD) = 4.97). Structural MRI was used to quantify cortical thickness. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to assess changes in prefrontal cortex HbO2 during walking. HbO2 IIV was operationalized as the SD of HbO2 observations assessed during the first 30 seconds of each task. Linear mixed models were used to examine the moderation effect of cortical thickness throughout the cortex on HbO2 IIV across task conditions. RESULTS Analyses revealed that thinner cortex in several regions was associated with greater increases in HbO2 IIV from the single tasks to DTW (ps < .02). CONCLUSIONS Consistent with neural inefficiency, reduced cortical thickness in the PFC and throughout the cerebral cortex was associated with increases in HbO2 IIV from the single tasks to DTW without behavioral benefit. Reduced cortical thickness and greater IIV of prefrontal cortex HbO2 during DTW may be further investigated as risk factors for developing mobility impairments in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daliah Ross
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Mark E. Wagshul
- Department of Radiology, Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Meltem Izzetoglu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Roee Holtzer
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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Wang X, Huang CC, Tsai SJ, Lin CP, Cai Q. The aging trajectories of brain functional hierarchy and its impact on cognition across the adult lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1331574. [PMID: 38313436 PMCID: PMC10837851 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1331574] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The hierarchical network architecture of the human brain, pivotal to cognition and behavior, can be explored via gradient analysis using restingstate functional MRI data. Although it has been employed to understand brain development and disorders, the impact of aging on this hierarchical architecture and its link to cognitive decline remains elusive. Methods This study utilized resting-state functional MRI data from 350 healthy adults (aged 20-85) to investigate the functional hierarchical network using connectome gradient analysis with a cross-age sliding window approach. Gradient-related metrics were estimated and correlated with age to evaluate trajectory of gradient changes across lifespan. Results The principal gradient (unimodal-to-transmodal) demonstrated a significant non-linear relationship with age, whereas the secondary gradient (visual-to-somatomotor) showed a simple linear decreasing pattern. Among the principal gradient, significant age-related changes were observed in the somatomotor, dorsal attention, limbic and default mode networks. The changes in the gradient scores of both the somatomotor and frontal-parietal networks were associated with greater working memory and visuospatial ability. Gender differences were found in global gradient metrics and gradient scores of somatomotor and default mode networks in the principal gradient, with no interaction with age effect. Discussion Our study delves into the aging trajectories of functional connectome gradient and its cognitive impact across the adult lifespan, providing insights for future research into the biological underpinnings of brain function and pathological models of atypical aging processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chu-Chung Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Shih-Jen Tsai
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Po Lin
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Qing Cai
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
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8
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Bunzeck N, Steiger TK, Krämer UM, Luedtke K, Marshall L, Obleser J, Tune S. Trajectories and contributing factors of neural compensation in healthy and pathological aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 156:105489. [PMID: 38040075 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105489] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Neural degeneration is a hallmark of healthy aging and can be associated with specific cognitive impairments. However, neural degeneration per se is not matched by unremitting declines in cognitive abilities. Instead, middle-aged and older adults typically maintain surprisingly high levels of cognitive functioning, suggesting that the human brain can adapt to structural degeneration by neural compensation. Here, we summarize prevailing theories and recent empirical studies on neural compensation with a focus on often neglected contributing factors, such as lifestyle, metabolism and neural plasticity. We suggest that these factors moderate the relationship between structural integrity and neural compensation, maintaining psychological well-being and behavioral functioning. Finally, we discuss that a breakdown in neural compensation may pose a tipping point that distinguishes the trajectories of healthy vs pathological aging, but conjoint support from psychology and cognitive neuroscience for this alluring view is still scarce. Therefore, future experiments that target the concomitant processes of neural compensation and associated behavior will foster a comprehensive understanding of both healthy and pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Bunzeck
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany.
| | | | - Ulrike M Krämer
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Kerstin Luedtke
- Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Lübeck, Germany
| | - Lisa Marshall
- Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany; Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jonas Obleser
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sarah Tune
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany
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Lavanga M, Stumme J, Yalcinkaya BH, Fousek J, Jockwitz C, Sheheitli H, Bittner N, Hashemi M, Petkoski S, Caspers S, Jirsa V. The virtual aging brain: Causal inference supports interhemispheric dedifferentiation in healthy aging. Neuroimage 2023; 283:120403. [PMID: 37865260 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms of cognitive decline and its variability during healthy aging are not fully understood, but have been associated with reorganization of white matter tracts and functional brain networks. Here, we built a brain network modeling framework to infer the causal link between structural connectivity and functional architecture and the consequent cognitive decline in aging. By applying in-silico interhemispheric degradation of structural connectivity, we reproduced the process of functional dedifferentiation during aging. Thereby, we found the global modulation of brain dynamics by structural connectivity to increase with age, which was steeper in older adults with poor cognitive performance. We validated our causal hypothesis via a deep-learning Bayesian approach. Our results might be the first mechanistic demonstration of dedifferentiation during aging leading to cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Lavanga
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Inserm, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Johanna Stumme
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Bahar Hazal Yalcinkaya
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Inserm, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Jan Fousek
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Inserm, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Christiane Jockwitz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hiba Sheheitli
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Inserm, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Nora Bittner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Meysam Hashemi
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Inserm, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Spase Petkoski
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Inserm, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Svenja Caspers
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Viktor Jirsa
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Inserm, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France.
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de Rond V, D'Cruz N, Hulzinga F, McCrum C, Verschueren S, de Xivry JJO, Nieuwboer A. Neural correlates of weight-shift training in older adults: a randomized controlled study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19609. [PMID: 37949995 PMCID: PMC10638445 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46645-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mediolateral weight-shifting is an important aspect of postural control. As it is currently unknown whether a short training session of mediolateral weight-shifting in a virtual reality (VR) environment can improve weight-shifting, we investigated this question and also probed the impact of practice on brain activity. Forty healthy older adults were randomly allocated to a training (EXP, n = 20, age = 70.80 (65-77), 9 females) or a control group (CTR, n = 20, age = 71.65 (65-82), 10 females). The EXP performed a 25-min weight-shift training in a VR-game, whereas the CTR rested for the same period. Weight-shifting speed in both single- (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions was determined before, directly after, and 24 h after intervention. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) assessed the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) levels in five cortical regions of interest. Weight-shifting in both ST and DT conditions improved in EXP but not in CTR, and these gains were retained after 24 h. Effects transferred to wider limits of stability post-training in EXP versus CTR. HbO2 levels in the left supplementary motor area were significantly increased directly after training in EXP during ST (change < SEM), and in the left somatosensory cortex during DT (change > SEM). We interpret these changes in the motor coordination and sensorimotor integration areas of the cortex as possibly learning-related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerle de Rond
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicholas D'Cruz
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Motor Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Femke Hulzinga
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Christopher McCrum
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine Verschueren
- Research Group for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Jacques Orban de Xivry
- Motor Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alice Nieuwboer
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium.
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11
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Andrade K, Guieysse T, Medani T, Koechlin E, Pantazis D, Dubois B. The dual-path hypothesis for the emergence of anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1239057. [PMID: 38020610 PMCID: PMC10654627 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1239057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although neurocognitive models have been proposed to explain anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the neural cascade responsible for its origin in the human brain remains unknown. Here, we build on a mechanistic dual-path hypothesis that brings error-monitoring and emotional processing systems as key elements for self-awareness, with distinct impacts on the emergence of anosognosia in AD. Proceeding from the notion of anosognosia as a dimensional syndrome, varying between a lack of concern about one's own deficits (i.e., anosodiaphoria) and a complete lack of awareness of deficits, our hypothesis states that (i) unawareness of deficits would result from primary damage to the error-monitoring system, whereas (ii) anosodiaphoria would more likely result from an imbalance between emotional processing and error-monitoring. In the first case, a synaptic failure in the error-monitoring system, in which the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices play a major role, would have a negative impact on error (or deficits) awareness, preventing patients from becoming aware of their condition. In the second case, an impairment in the emotional processing system, in which the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex play a major role, would prevent patients from monitoring the internal milieu for relevant errors (or deficits) and assigning appropriate value to them, thus biasing their impact on the error-monitoring system. Our hypothesis stems on two scientific premises. One comes from preliminary results in AD patients showing a synaptic failure in the error-monitoring system along with a decline of awareness for cognitive difficulties at the time of diagnosis. Another comes from the somatic marker hypothesis, which proposes that emotional signals are critical to adaptive behavior. Further exploration of these premises will be of great interest to illuminate the foundations of self-awareness and improve our knowledge of the underlying paths of anosognosia in AD and other brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Andrade
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne University, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
- Frontlab, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Guieysse
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne University, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Takfarinas Medani
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Etienne Koechlin
- École Normale Supérieure, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Computationnelles, Paris, France
| | - Dimitrios Pantazis
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Bruno Dubois
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne University, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
- Frontlab, Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
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12
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Hanley CJ, Burns N, Thomas HR, Marstaller L, Burianová H. The effects of age bias on neural correlates of successful and unsuccessful response inhibition in younger and older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 131:1-10. [PMID: 37535985 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.07.004] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Facilitating communication between generations has become increasingly important. However, individuals often demonstrate a preference for their own age group, which can impact social interactions, and such bias in young adults even extends to inhibitory control. To assess whether older adults also experience this phenomenon, a group of younger and older adults completed a Go/NoGo task incorporating young and old faces, while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Within the networks subserving successful and unsuccessful response inhibition, patterns of activity demonstrated distinct neural age bias effects in each age group. During successful inhibition, the older adult group demonstrated significantly increased activity to other-age faces, whereas unsuccessful inhibition in the younger group produced significantly enhanced activity to other-age faces. Consequently, the findings of the study confirm that neural responses to successful and unsuccessful inhibition can be contingent on the stimulus-specific attribute of age in both younger and older adults. These findings have important implications in regard to minimizing the emergence of negative consequences, such as ageism, as a result of related implicit biases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natasha Burns
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK; Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK
| | - Hannah R Thomas
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK; Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lars Marstaller
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK
| | - Hana Burianová
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK; Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK; Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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13
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Razafimahatratra S, Guieysse T, Lejeune FX, Houot M, Medani T, Dreyfus G, Klarsfeld A, Villain N, Pereira FR, La Corte V, George N, Pantazis D, Andrade K. Can a failure in the error-monitoring system explain unawareness of memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease? Cortex 2023; 166:428-440. [PMID: 37423786 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.05.014] [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: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Unawareness of memory deficits is an early manifestation in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), which often delays diagnosis. This intriguing behavior constitutes a form of anosognosia, whose neural mechanisms remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that anosognosia may depend on a critical synaptic failure in the error-monitoring system, which would prevent AD patients from being aware of their own memory impairment. To investigate, we measured event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by erroneous responses during a word memory recognition task in two groups of amyloid positive individuals with only subjective memory complaints at study entry: those who progressed to AD within the five-year study period (PROG group), and those who remained cognitively normal (CTRL group). A significant reduction in the amplitude of the positivity error (Pe), an ERP related to error awareness, was observed in the PROG group at the time of AD diagnosis (vs study entry) in intra-group analysis, as well as when compared with the CTRL group in inter-group analysis, based on the last EEG acquisition for all subjects. Importantly, at the time of AD diagnosis, the PROG group exhibited clinical signs of anosognosia, overestimating their cognitive abilities, as evidenced by the discrepancy scores obtained from caregiver/informant vs participant reports on the cognitive subscale of the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor. To our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal the emergence of a failure in the error-monitoring system during a word memory recognition task at the early stages of AD. This finding, along with the decline of awareness for cognitive impairment observed in the PROG group, strongly suggests that a synaptic dysfunction in the error-monitoring system may be the critical neural mechanism at the origin of unawareness of deficits in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solofo Razafimahatratra
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Guieysse
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - François-Xavier Lejeune
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (ICM Institut du Cerveau), AP-HP, INSERM, CNRS, University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Paris Brain Institute's Data and Analysis Core, University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Marion Houot
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; Centre of Excellence of Neurodegenerative Disease (CoEN), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; Clinical Investigation Centre, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital Paris, France
| | - Takfarinas Medani
- Signal & Image Processing Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | | | - André Klarsfeld
- Laboratory of Brain Plasticity, CNRS UMR 8249, ESPCI Paris - PSL, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Villain
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Filipa Raposo Pereira
- Brain & Spine Institute, ICM, INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, Centre MEG-EEG, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Valentina La Corte
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie George
- Brain & Spine Institute, ICM, INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, Centre MEG-EEG, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Dimitrios Pantazis
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Katia Andrade
- Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; Laboratory of Brain Plasticity, CNRS UMR 8249, ESPCI Paris - PSL, Paris, France; FrontLab, Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Pitié Salpêtrière GH, 47 Bd de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
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14
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Alcock L, Vitório R, Stuart S, Rochester L, Pantall A. Faster Walking Speeds Require Greater Activity from the Primary Motor Cortex in Older Adults Compared to Younger Adults. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:6921. [PMID: 37571703 PMCID: PMC10422240 DOI: 10.3390/s23156921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Gait speed declines with age and slower walking speeds are associated with poor health outcomes. Understanding why we do not walk faster as we age, despite being able to, has implications for rehabilitation. Changes in regional oxygenated haemoglobin (HbO2) across the frontal lobe were monitored using functional near infrared spectroscopy in 17 young and 18 older adults while they walked on a treadmill for 5 min, alternating between 30 s of walking at a preferred and fast (120% preferred) speed. Gait was quantified using a triaxial accelerometer (lower back). Differences between task (preferred/fast) and group (young/old) and associations between regional HbO2 and gait were evaluated. Paired tests indicated increased HbO2 in the supplementary motor area (right) and primary motor cortex (left and right) in older adults when walking fast (p < 0.006). HbO2 did not significantly change in the young when walking fast, despite both groups modulating gait. When evaluating the effect of age (linear mixed effects model), greater increases in HbO2 were observed for older adults when walking fast (prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area and primary motor cortex) compared to young adults. In older adults, increased step length and reduced step length variability were associated with larger increases in HbO2 across multiple regions when walking fast. Walking fast required increased activation of motor regions in older adults, which may serve as a therapeutic target for rehabilitation. Widespread increases in HbO2 across the frontal cortex highlight that walking fast represents a resource-intensive task as we age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Alcock
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK; (L.A.); (L.R.)
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK
| | - Rodrigo Vitório
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK; (R.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Samuel Stuart
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK; (R.V.); (S.S.)
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Lynn Rochester
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK; (L.A.); (L.R.)
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK
- The Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK
| | - Annette Pantall
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
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15
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Koshino H, Osaka M, Shimokawa T, Kaneda M, Taniguchi S, Minamoto T, Yaoi K, Azuma M, Higo K, Osaka N. Cooperation and competition between the default mode network and frontal parietal network in the elderly. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1140399. [PMID: 37275713 PMCID: PMC10237017 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1140399] [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: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent research has shown that the Default Mode Network (DMN) typically exhibits increased activation during processing of social and personal information but shows deactivation during working memory (WM) tasks. Previously, we reported the Frontal Parietal Network (FPN) and DMN showed coactivation during task preparation whereas the DMN exhibited deactivation during task execution in working memory tasks. Aging research has shown that older adults exhibited decreased functional connectivity in the DMN relative to younger adults. Here, we investigated whether age-related cognitive decline is related to a reduced relationship between the FPN and DMN using a working memory task during the execution period. First, we replicated our previous finding that the FPN and DMN showed coactivation during the preparation period, whereas the DMN showed deactivation during the execution period. The older adults showed reduced DMN activity during task preparation and reduced deactivation during task execution; however, they exhibited a higher magnitude of activation in the FPN than the young individuals during task execution. Functional connectivity analyses showed that the elderly group, compared to the young group, showed weaker correlations within the FPN and the DMN, weaker positive correlations between the FPN and DMN during task preparation, and weaker negative correlations between the FPN and DMN during execution. The results suggest that cognitive decline in the older adults might be related to reduced connectivity within the DMN as well as between the FPN and DMN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideya Koshino
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - Mariko Osaka
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Shimokawa
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mizuki Kaneda
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Seira Taniguchi
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takehiro Minamoto
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ken Yaoi
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Miyuki Azuma
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Katsuki Higo
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Osaka
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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16
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Alzaid H, Ethofer T, Kardatzki B, Erb M, Scheffler K, Berg D, Maetzler W, Hobert MA. Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:934241. [PMID: 36247983 PMCID: PMC9558904 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.934241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of white matter integrity (WMI) is associated with gait deficits in middle-aged and older adults. However, these deficits are often only apparent under cognitively demanding situations, such as walking and simultaneously performing a secondary cognitive task. Moreover, evidence suggests that declining executive functions (EF) are linked to gait decline, and their co-occurrence may point to a common underlying pathology, i.e., degeneration of shared brain regions. In this study, we applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a standardized gait assessment under single- and dual-tasking (DT) conditions (walking and subtracting) in 74 middle-aged and older adults without any significant gait or cognitive impairments to detect subtle WM alterations associated with gait decline under DT conditions. Additionally, the Trail Making Test (TMT) was used to assess EF, classify participants into three groups based on their performance, and examine a possible interaction between gait, EF, and WMI. Gait speed and subtracting speed while dual-tasking correlated significantly with the fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral anterior corona radiata (highest r = 0.51/p < 0.0125 FWE-corrected). Dual-task costs (DTC) of gait speed correlated significantly with FA in widespread pathways, including the corpus callosum, bilateral anterior and superior corona radiata, as well as the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (highest r = −0.47/p < 0.0125 FWE-corrected). EF performance was associated with FA in the left anterior corona radiata (p < 0.05); however, EF did not significantly mediate the effects of WMI on DTC of gait speed. There were no significant correlations between TMT and DTC of gait and subtracting speed, respectively. Our findings indicate that gait decline under DT conditions is associated with widespread WM deterioration even in middle-aged and older adults without any significant gait or cognitive impairments. However, this relationship was not mediated by EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haidar Alzaid
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Haidar Alzaid,
| | - Thomas Ethofer
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernd Kardatzki
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Erb
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Scheffler
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Berg
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University Hospital, Kiel, Germany
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University Hospital, Kiel, Germany
| | - Markus A. Hobert
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University Hospital, Kiel, Germany
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17
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McDonough IM, Nolin SA, Visscher KM. 25 years of neurocognitive aging theories: What have we learned? Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1002096. [PMID: 36212035 PMCID: PMC9539801 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1002096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The past 25 years have provided a rich discovery of at least four fundamental patterns that represent structural and functional brain aging across multiple cognitive domains. Of the many potential patterns of brain aging, few are ever examined simultaneously in a given study, leading one to question their mutual exclusivity. Moreover, more studies are emerging that note failures to replicate some brain aging patterns, thereby questioning the universality and prevalence of these patterns. Although some attempts have been made to create unifying theories incorporating many of these age-related brain patterns, we propose that the field’s understanding of the aging brain has been hindered due to a large number of influential models with little crosstalk between them. We briefly review these brain patterns, the influential domain-general theories of neurocognitive aging that attempt to explain them, and provide examples of recent challenges to these theories. Lastly, we elaborate on improvements that can be made to lead the field to more comprehensive and robust models of neurocognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M. McDonough
- Department of Psychology, Alabama Research Institute on Aging, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
- *Correspondence: Ian M. McDonough,
| | - Sara A. Nolin
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Kristina M. Visscher
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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18
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Brichko R, Soldan A, Zhu Y, Wang MC, Faria A, Albert M, Pettigrew C. Age-Dependent Association Between Cognitive Reserve Proxy and Longitudinal White Matter Microstructure in Older Adults. Front Psychol 2022; 13:859826. [PMID: 35756247 PMCID: PMC9226781 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.859826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study examined the association of lifetime experiences, measured by a cognitive reserve (CR) composite score composed of years of education, literacy, and vocabulary measures, to level and rate of change in white matter microstructure, as assessed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures. We also examined whether the relationship between the proxy CR composite score and white matter microstructure was modified by participant age, APOE-ε4 genetic status, and level of vascular risk. Methods A sample of 192 non-demented (n = 166 cognitively normal, n = 26 mild cognitive impairment) older adults [mean age = 70.17 (SD = 8.5) years] from the BIOCARD study underwent longitudinal DTI (mean follow-up = 2.5 years, max = 4.7 years). White matter microstructure was quantified by fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) values in global white matter tracts and medial temporal lobe (MTL) white matter tracts. Results Using longitudinal linear mixed effect models, we found that FA decreased over time and RD increased over time in both the global and MTL DTI composites, but the rate of change in these DTI measures was not related to level of CR. However, there were significant interactions between the CR composite score and age for global RD in the full sample, and for global FA, global RD, and MTL RD among those with normal cognition. These interactions indicated that among participants with a lower baseline age, higher CR composite scores were associated with higher FA and lower RD values, while among participants with higher age at baseline, higher CR composite scores were associated with lower FA and higher RD values. Furthermore, these relationships were not modified by APOE-ε4 genotype or level of vascular risk. Conclusion The association between level of CR and DTI measures differs by age, suggesting a possible neuroprotective effect of CR among late middle-aged adults that shifts to a compensatory effect among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rostislav Brichko
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Anja Soldan
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Yuxin Zhu
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mei-Cheng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Andreia Faria
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marilyn Albert
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Corinne Pettigrew
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Corinne Pettigrew,
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19
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Snytte J, Fenerci C, Rajagopal S, Beaudoin C, Hooper K, Sheldon S, Olsen RK, Rajah MN. Volume of the posterior hippocampus mediates age-related differences in spatial context memory and is correlated with increased activity in lateral frontal, parietal and occipital regions in healthy aging. Neuroimage 2022; 254:119164. [PMID: 35381338 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Healthy aging is associated with episodic memory decline, particularly in the ability to encode and retrieve object-context associations (context memory). Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies have highlighted the importance of the medial temporal lobes (MTL) in supporting episodic memory across the lifespan. However, given the functional heterogeneity of the MTL, volumetric declines in distinct regions may impact performance on specific episodic memory tasks, and affect the function of the large-scale neurocognitive networks supporting episodic memory encoding and retrieval. In the current study, we investigated how MTL structure may mediate age-related differences in performance on spatial and temporal context memory tasks, in a sample of 125 healthy adults aged 19-76 years old. Standard T1-weighted MRIs were segmented into the perirhinal, entorhinal and parahippocampal cortices, as well as the anterior and posterior hippocampal subregions. We observed negative linear and quadratic associations between age and volume of the parahippocampal cortex, and anterior and posterior hippocampal subregions. We also found that volume of the posterior hippocampus fully mediated the association between age and spatial, but not temporal context memory performance. Further, we employed a multivariate behavior partial-least-squares analysis to assess how age and regional MTL volumes correlated with brain activity during the encoding and retrieval of spatial context memories. We found that greater activity within lateral prefrontal, parietal, and occipital regions, as well as within the anterior MTL was related to older age and smaller volume of the posterior hippocampus. Our results highlight the heterogeneity of MTL contributions to episodic memory across the lifespan and provide support for the posterior-anterior shift in aging, and scaffolding theory of aging and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Snytte
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 Avenue McGill College, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada; Brain Imaging Center, Douglas Institute Research Center, 6875 LaSalle Blvd Verdun, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada.
| | - Can Fenerci
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 Avenue McGill College, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Sricharana Rajagopal
- Brain Imaging Center, Douglas Institute Research Center, 6875 LaSalle Blvd Verdun, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Camille Beaudoin
- Brain Imaging Center, Douglas Institute Research Center, 6875 LaSalle Blvd Verdun, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Kiera Hooper
- Brain Imaging Center, Douglas Institute Research Center, 6875 LaSalle Blvd Verdun, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 Avenue McGill College, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Rosanna K Olsen
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M Natasha Rajah
- Brain Imaging Center, Douglas Institute Research Center, 6875 LaSalle Blvd Verdun, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Room 2114, CIC Pavilion, 6875 LaSalle Blvd, 1033 Avenue des Pins, Verdun, H4H 1R3, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada.
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20
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Overview of (f)MRI Studies of Cognitive Aging for Non-Experts: Looking through the Lens of Neuroimaging. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12030416. [PMID: 35330167 PMCID: PMC8953678 DOI: 10.3390/life12030416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This special issue concerning Brain Functional and Structural Connectivity and Cognition aims to expand our understanding of brain connectivity. Herein, I review related topics including the principle and concepts of functional MRI, brain activation, and functional/structural connectivity in aging for uninitiated readers. Visuospatial attention, one of the well-studied functions in aging, is discussed from the perspective of neuroimaging.
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Vila-Chã C, Vaz C, Oliveira AS. Electrocortical Activity in Older Adults Is More Influenced by Cognitive Task Complexity Than Concurrent Walking. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:718648. [PMID: 35140598 PMCID: PMC8819066 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.718648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cognitive-motor performance largely depends on how brain resources are allocated during simultaneous tasks. Nonetheless, little is known regarding the age-related changes in electrocortical activity when dual-task during walking presents higher complexity levels. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether there are distinct changes in walking performance and electrocortical activation between young and older adults performing simple and complex upper limb response time tasks. Physically active young (23 ± 3 years, n = 21) and older adults (69 ± 5 years, n = 19) were asked to respond as fast as possible to a single stimuli or a double stimuli appearing on a touch screen during standing and walking. Response time, step frequency, step frequency variability and electroencephalographic (EEG) N200 and P300 amplitudes and latencies from frontal central and parietal brain regions were recorded. The results demonstrated that older adults were 23% slower to respond to double stimuli, whereas younger adults were only 12% slower (p < 0.01). The longer response time for older adults was accompanied by greater step frequency variability following double-stimuli presentations (p < 0.01). Older adults presented reduced N200 and P300 amplitudes compared to younger participants across all conditions (p < 0.001), with no effects of posture (standing vs walking) on both groups (p > 0.05). More importantly, the P300 amplitude was significantly reduced for older adults when responding to double stimuli regardless of standing or walking tasks (p < 0.05), with no changes in younger participants. Therefore, physically active older adults can attenuate potential walking deficits experienced during dual-task walking in simple cognitive tasks. However, cognitive tasks involving decision making influence electrocortical activation due to reduced cognitive resources to cope with the task demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Vila-Chã
- Polytechnic of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal
- Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | | | - Anderson Souza Oliveira
- Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Anderson Souza Oliveira,
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22
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Kantarovich K, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Fernández-Cabello S, Setton R, Baracchini G, Lockrow AW, Spreng RN, Turner GR. White matter lesion load is associated with lower within- and greater between- network connectivity across older age. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 112:170-180. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Tozlu C, Jamison K, Gauthier SA, Kuceyeski A. Dynamic Functional Connectivity Better Predicts Disability Than Structural and Static Functional Connectivity in People With Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:763966. [PMID: 34966255 PMCID: PMC8710545 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.763966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Advanced imaging techniques such as diffusion and functional MRI can be used to identify pathology-related changes to the brain's structural and functional connectivity (SC and FC) networks and mapping of these changes to disability and compensatory mechanisms in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). No study to date performed a comparison study to investigate which connectivity type (SC, static or dynamic FC) better distinguishes healthy controls (HC) from pwMS and/or classifies pwMS by disability status. Aims: We aim to compare the performance of SC, static FC, and dynamic FC (dFC) in classifying (a) HC vs. pwMS and (b) pwMS who have no disability vs. with disability. The secondary objective of the study is to identify which brain regions' connectome measures contribute most to the classification tasks. Materials and Methods: One hundred pwMS and 19 HC were included. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was used to assess disability, where 67 pwMS who had EDSS<2 were considered as not having disability. Diffusion and resting-state functional MRI were used to compute the SC and FC matrices, respectively. Logistic regression with ridge regularization was performed, where the models included demographics/clinical information and either pairwise entries or regional summaries from one of the following matrices: SC, FC, and dFC. The performance of the models was assessed using the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC). Results: In classifying HC vs. pwMS, the regional SC model significantly outperformed others with a median AUC of 0.89 (p <0.05). In classifying pwMS by disability status, the regional dFC and dFC metrics models significantly outperformed others with a median AUC of 0.65 and 0.61 (p < 0.05). Regional SC in the dorsal attention, subcortical and cerebellar networks were the most important variables in the HC vs. pwMS classification task. Increased regional dFC in dorsal attention and visual networks and decreased regional dFC in frontoparietal and cerebellar networks in certain dFC states was associated with being in the group of pwMS with evidence of disability. Discussion: Damage to SCs is a hallmark of MS and, unsurprisingly, the most accurate connectomic measure in classifying patients and controls. On the other hand, dynamic FC metrics were most important for determining disability level in pwMS, and could represent functional compensation in response to white matter pathology in pwMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceren Tozlu
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Keith Jamison
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Susan A. Gauthier
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Judith Jaffe Multiple Sclerosis Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Amy Kuceyeski
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Amy Kuceyeski
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Hall SA, Bell RP, Davis SW, Towe SL, Ikner TP, Meade CS. Human immunodeficiency virus-related decreases in corpus callosal integrity and corresponding increases in functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:4958-4972. [PMID: 34382273 PMCID: PMC8449114 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) often have neurocognitive impairment. However, findings on HIV-related differences in brain network function underlying these impairments are inconsistent. One principle frequently absent from these reports is that brain function is largely emergent from brain structure. PLWH commonly have degraded white matter; we hypothesized that functional communities connected by degraded white matter tracts would show abnormal functional connectivity. We measured white matter integrity in 69 PLWH and 67 controls using fractional anisotropy (FA) in 24 intracerebral white matter tracts. Then, among tracts with degraded FA, we identified gray matter regions connected to these tracts and measured their functional connectivity during rest. Finally, we identified cognitive impairment related to these structural and functional connectivity systems. We found HIV-related decreased FA in the corpus callosum body (CCb), which coordinates activity between the left and right hemispheres, and corresponding increases in functional connectivity. Finally, we found that individuals with impaired cognitive functioning have lower CCb FA and higher CCb functional connectivity. This result clarifies the functional relevance of the corpus callosum in HIV and provides a framework in which abnormal brain function can be understood in the context of abnormal brain structure, which may both contribute to cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana A. Hall
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Ryan P. Bell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Simon W. Davis
- Department of NeurologyDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Sheri L. Towe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Taylor P. Ikner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Christina S. Meade
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
- Brain Imaging and Analysis CenterDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
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Soto-Añari M, López N, Rivera-Fernández C, Belón-Hercilla V, Fernández-Guinea S. Literacy Level and Executive Control in Healthy Older Peruvian Adults. Front Neurol 2021; 12:629048. [PMID: 34512496 PMCID: PMC8426511 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.629048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Early-life educational experiences are associated with cognitive performance in aging. Early literacy seems to improve executive control mechanisms, however, it is not clear whether early education would still be an advantage in countries like Peru, where access to and quality of education is highly variable. Aim: Our objective was to analyze the association of literacy level with executive control factors. Method: We evaluated 93 healthy older adults with a clinical protocol that included the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale and Global Dementia Staging. We also used a neuropsychological executive function battery which included the Trail-Making Test parts A and B, the Stroop Test, phonological and semantic verbal fluency tasks, Forward and Backward Digits, Numbers and Letters of the Wechsler Scale, and the Go/No-Go task. We used a principal component analysis for the dimensional reduction of the variables. To measure the level of literacy we used the word accentuation test (WAT). Results: We observed statistically significant correlations between the principal components (PCs) of working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control with the WAT scores. Furthermore, we observed that processing speed and WAT predict the scores on PCs factors better than years of education and age. Conclusions: Literacy level correlates more closely with better cognitive performance than years of education and thus, might improve executive control factors that could compensate and protect against brain changes in cognitive decline and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcio Soto-Añari
- Laboratorio de Neurociencia, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Católica San Pablo, Arequipa, Peru
| | | | | | - Verónica Belón-Hercilla
- Laboratorio de Neurociencia, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Católica San Pablo, Arequipa, Peru
| | - Sara Fernández-Guinea
- Departamento de Psicología Experimental, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Zhang L, Wang L, Gao J, Risacher SL, Yan J, Li G, Liu T, Zhu D. Deep Fusion of Brain Structure-Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment. Med Image Anal 2021; 72:102082. [PMID: 34004495 DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2021.102082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Multimodal fusion of different types of neural image data provides an irreplaceable opportunity to take advantages of complementary cross-modal information that may only partially be contained in single modality. To jointly analyze multimodal data, deep neural networks can be especially useful because many studies have suggested that deep learning strategy is very efficient to reveal complex and non-linear relations buried in the data. However, most deep models, e.g., convolutional neural network and its numerous extensions, can only operate on regular Euclidean data like voxels in 3D MRI. The interrelated and hidden structures that beyond the grid neighbors, such as brain connectivity, may be overlooked. Moreover, how to effectively incorporate neuroscience knowledge into multimodal data fusion with a single deep framework is understudied. In this work, we developed a graph-based deep neural network to simultaneously model brain structure and function in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): the topology of the graph is initialized using structural network (from diffusion MRI) and iteratively updated by incorporating functional information (from functional MRI) to maximize the capability of differentiating MCI patients from elderly normal controls. This resulted in a new connectome by exploring "deep relations" between brain structure and function in MCI patients and we named it as Deep Brain Connectome. Though deep brain connectome is learned individually, it shows consistent patterns of alteration comparing to structural network at group level. With deep brain connectome, our developed deep model can achieve 92.7% classification accuracy on ADNI dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 USA; Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 USA
| | - Jean Gao
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 USA
| | - Shannon L Risacher
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
| | - Jingwen Yan
- School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
| | - Gang Li
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center and Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7160, USA
| | - Tianming Liu
- Cortical Architecture Imaging and Discovery Lab, Department of Computer Science and Bioimaging Research Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Dajiang Zhu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 USA.
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Seider TR, Porges EC, Woods AJ, Cohen RA. Dedifferentiation of Functional Brain Activation Associated With Greater Visual Discrimination Accuracy in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:651284. [PMID: 34366822 PMCID: PMC8336636 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.651284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural dedifferentiation refers to an age-related phenomenon whereby brain functions that are localized to specific, distinct, and differentiated brain areas in young adults become less so as people reach more advanced age. Older adults tend to exhibit greater spread of cortical activation on fMRI during cognitive processing compared to younger adults, with evidence that this occurs during visuoperceptual processing. Some age-related functional changes are considered compensatory, but whether dedifferentiation is compensatory is not clearly understood. The current study assessed dedifferentiation and visual discrimination performance during simultaneous match-to-sample tasks from the Visual Assessment Battery (VAB) among 40 healthy middle-aged and older adults using fMRI. Task-relevant regions of interest (ROIs) were created in the dorsal stream for discrimination of spatial location, the ventral stream for shape, and an area encompassing V5 for velocity. Dedifferentiation, or less specificity in functional activation, was associated with greater discrimination accuracy and more years of education. Secondary analyses showed that reduced functional activation in task-relevant ROIs was associated with faster discrimination speed. Age was unassociated with functional activation. Results suggest that dedifferentiation is compensatory. Lack of age effects suggest that other factors beyond age, such as cognitive or brain reserve, may better predict performance when considering cognitive skills that are relatively stable as adults age, such as visual discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia R Seider
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Clinical Translational Research Program, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Eric C Porges
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Clinical Translational Research Program, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Adam J Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Clinical Translational Research Program, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ronald A Cohen
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Clinical Translational Research Program, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Pelicioni PHS, Lord SR, Sturnieks DL, Halmy B, Menant JC. Cognitive and Motor Cortical Activity During Cognitively Demanding Stepping Tasks in Older People at Low and High Risk of Falling. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:554231. [PMID: 34322496 PMCID: PMC8310929 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.554231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Choice stepping reaction time tasks are underpinned by neuropsychological, sensorimotor, and balance systems and therefore offer good indices of fall risk and physical and cognitive frailty. However, little is known of the neural mechanisms for impaired stepping and associated fall risk in older people. We investigated cognitive and motor cortical activity during cognitively demanding stepping reaction time tasks using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in older people at low and high fall risk. Methods: Ninety-five older adults [mean (SD) 71.4 (4.9) years, 23 men] were categorized as low or high fall risk [based on 12-month fall history (≥2 falls) and/or Physiological Profile Assessment fall risk score ≥1]. Participants performed a choice stepping reaction time test and a more cognitively demanding Stroop stepping task on a computerized step mat. Cortical activity in cognitive [dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)] and motor (supplementary motor area and premotor cortex) regions was recorded using fNIRS. Stepping performance and cortical activity were contrasted between the groups and between the choice and Stroop stepping conditions. Results: Compared with the low fall risk group (n = 71), the high fall risk group (n = 24) exhibited significantly greater DLPFC activity and increased intra-individual variability in stepping response time during the Stroop stepping task. The high fall risk group DLPFC activity was greater during the performance of Stroop stepping task in comparison with choice stepping reaction time. Regardless of group, the Stroop stepping task elicited increased cortical activity in the supplementary motor area and premotor cortex together with increased mean and intra-individual variability of stepping response times. Conclusions: Older people at high fall risk exhibited increased DLPFC activity and stepping response time variability when completing a cognitively demanding stepping test compared with those at low fall risk and to a simpler choice-stepping reaction time test. This increased hemodynamic response might comprise a compensatory process for postural control deficits and/or reflect a degree of DLPFC neural inefficiency in people with increased fall risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo H S Pelicioni
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Physiotherapy, Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Stephen R Lord
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daina L Sturnieks
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bethany Halmy
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jasmine C Menant
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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de Rond V, Orcioli-Silva D, Dijkstra BW, Orban de Xivry JJ, Pantall A, Nieuwboer A. Compromised Brain Activity With Age During a Game-Like Dynamic Balance Task: Single- vs. Dual-Task Performance. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:657308. [PMID: 34290599 PMCID: PMC8287632 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.657308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Postural control and cognition are affected by aging. We investigated whether cognitive distraction influenced neural activity differently in young and older adults during a game-like mediolateral weight-shifting task with a personalized task load. Methods: Seventeen healthy young and 17 older adults performed a balance game, involving hitting virtual wasps, serial subtractions and a combination of both (dual-task). A motion analysis system estimated each subject's center of mass position. Cortical activity in five regions was assessed by measuring oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) with a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy system. Results: When adding cognitive load to the game, weight-shifting speed decreased irrespective of age, but older adults reduced the wasp-hits more than young adults. Accompanying these changes, older adults decreased HbO2 in the left pre-frontal cortex (PFC) and frontal eye fields (FEF) compared to single-tasking, a finding not seen in young adults. Additionally, lower HbO2 levels were found during dual-tasking compared to the summed activation of the two single tasks in all regions except for the right PFC. These relative reductions were specific for the older age group in the left premotor cortex (PMC), the right supplementary motor area (SMA), and the left FEF. Conclusion: Older adults showed more compromised neural activity than young adults when adding a distraction to a challenging balance game. We interpret these changes as competitive downgrading of neural activity underpinning the age-related deterioration of game performance during dual-tasking. Future work needs to ascertain if older adults can train their neural flexibility to withstand balance challenges during daily life activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerle de Rond
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Diego Orcioli-Silva
- Posture and Gait Studies Laboratory (LEPLO), Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Bauke Wybren Dijkstra
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Jacques Orban de Xivry
- Motor Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annette Pantall
- Clinical Ageing Research Unit, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Alice Nieuwboer
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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Fettrow T, Hupfeld K, Tays G, Clark DJ, Reuter-Lorenz PA, Seidler RD. Brain activity during walking in older adults: Implications for compensatory versus dysfunctional accounts. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 105:349-364. [PMID: 34182403 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
A prominent trend in the functional brain imaging literature is that older adults exhibit increased brain activity compared to young adults to perform a given task. This phenomenon has been extensively studied for cognitive tasks, with the field converging on interpretations described in two alternative accounts. One account interprets over-activation in older adults as reflecting neural dysfunction (increased brain activity - indicates poorer performance), whereas another interprets it as neural compensation (increased brain activity - supports better performance). Here we review studies that have recorded brain activity and walking measurements in older adults, and we categorize their findings as reflecting either neural dysfunction or neural compensation. Based on this synthesis, we recommend including multiple task difficulty levels in future work to help differentiate if and when compensation fails as the locomotion task becomes more difficult. Using multiple task difficulty levels with neuroimaging will lead to a more advanced understanding of how age-related changes in locomotor brain activity fit with existing accounts of brain aging and support the development of targeted neural rehabilitation techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Fettrow
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Kathleen Hupfeld
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Grant Tays
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David J Clark
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Rachael D Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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31
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Crockett RA, Falck RS, Dao E, Hsu CL, Tam R, Alkeridy W, Liu-Ambrose T. Sweat the Fall Stuff: Physical Activity Moderates the Association of White Matter Hyperintensities With Falls Risk in Older Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:671464. [PMID: 34093153 PMCID: PMC8175638 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.671464] [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: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Falls in older adults are a major public health problem. White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are highly prevalent in older adults and are a risk factor for falls. In the absence of a cure for WMHs, identifying potential strategies to counteract the risk of WMHs on falls are of great importance. Physical activity (PA) is a promising countermeasure to reduce both WMHs and falls risk. However, no study has yet investigated whether PA attenuates the association of WMHs with falls risk. We hypothesized that PA moderates the association between WMHs and falls risk. Methods: Seventy-six community-dwelling older adults aged 70–80 years old were included in this cross-sectional study. We indexed PA using the Physical Activity Score for the Elderly (PASE) Questionnaire. Falls risk was assessed using the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA), and WMH volume (mm3) was determined by an experienced radiologist on T2-weighted and PD-weighted MRI scans. We first examined the independent associations of WMH volume and PASE score with PPA. Subsequently, we examined whether PASE moderated the relationship between WMH volume and PPA. We plotted simple slopes to interpret the interaction effects. Age, sex, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score were included as covariates in all models. Results: Participants had a mean age of 74 years (SD = 3 years) and 54 (74%) were female. Forty-nine participants (66%) had a Fazekas score of 1, 19 (26%) had a score of 2, and 6 (8%) a score of 3. Both PASE (β = −0.26 ± 0.11; p = 0.022) and WMH volume (β = 0.23 ± 0.11; p = 0.043) were each independently associated with PPA score. The interaction model indicated that PASE score moderated the association between WMH volume and PPA (β = −0.27 ± 0.12; p = 0.030), whereby higher PASE score attenuated the association between WMHs and falls risk. Conclusion: PA is an important moderator of falls risk. Importantly, older adults with WMH can reduce their risk of falls by increasing their PA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Crockett
- Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ryan S Falck
- Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Dao
- Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Radiology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Chun Liang Hsu
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Roger Tam
- Department of Radiology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Walid Alkeridy
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Teresa Liu-Ambrose
- Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Huizeling E, Wang H, Holland C, Kessler K. Changes in theta and alpha oscillatory signatures of attentional control in older and middle age. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:4314-4337. [PMID: 33949008 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent behavioural research has reported age-related changes in the costs of refocusing attention from a temporal (rapid serial visual presentation) to a spatial (visual search) task. Using magnetoencephalography, we have now compared the neural signatures of attention refocusing between three age groups (19-30, 40-49 and 60+ years) and found differences in task-related modulation and cortical localisation of alpha and theta oscillations. Efficient, faster refocusing in the youngest group compared to both middle age and older groups was reflected in parietal theta effects that were significantly reduced in the older groups. Residual parietal theta activity in older individuals was beneficial to attentional refocusing and could reflect preserved attention mechanisms. Slowed refocusing of attention, especially when a target required consolidation, in the older and middle-aged adults was accompanied by a posterior theta deficit and increased recruitment of frontal (middle-aged and older groups) and temporal (older group only) areas, demonstrating a posterior to anterior processing shift. Theta but not alpha modulation correlated with task performance, suggesting that older adults' stronger and more widely distributed alpha power modulation could reflect decreased neural precision or dedifferentiation but requires further investigation. Our results demonstrate that older adults present with different alpha and theta oscillatory signatures during attentional control, reflecting cognitive decline and, potentially, also different cognitive strategies in an attempt to compensate for decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Huizeling
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Hongfang Wang
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Carol Holland
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Ageing Research, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Klaus Kessler
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
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Alterations of core structural network connectome associated with suicidal ideation in major depressive disorder patients. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:243. [PMID: 33895787 PMCID: PMC8068724 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01353-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Suicide ideation (SI) is a most high-risk clinical sign for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, whether the rich-club network organization as a core structural network is associated with SI and how the related neural circuits are distributed in MDD patients remain unknown. Total 177 participants including 69 MDD patients with SI (MDDSI), 58 MDD without SI (MDDNSI) and 50 cognitively normal (CN) subjects were recruited and completed neuropsychological tests and diffusion-tensor imaging scan. The rich-club organization was identified and the global and regional topological properties of structural networks, together with the brain connectivity of specific neural circuit architectures, were analyzed. Further, the support vector machine (SVM) learning was applied in classifying MDDSI or MDDNSI from CN subjects. MDDSI and MDDNSI patients both exhibited disrupted rich-club organizations. However, MDDSI patients showed that the differential network was concentrated on the non-core low-level network and significantly destroyed betweeness centrality was primarily located in the regional non-hub regions relative to MDDNSI patients. The differential structural network connections involved the superior longitudinal fasciculus and the corpus callosum were incorporated in the cognitive control circuit and default mode network. Finally, the feeder serves as a potentially powerful indicator for distinguishing MDDSI patients from MDDNSI or CN subjects. The altered rich-club organization provides new clues to understand the underlying pathogenesis of MDD patients, and the feeder was useful as a diagnostic neuroimaging biomarker for differentiating MDD patients with or without SI.
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Delvenne JF, Scally B, Bunce D, Burke MR. Splenium tracts of the corpus callosum degrade in old age. Neurosci Lett 2021; 742:135549. [PMID: 33285249 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that the posterior region of the corpus callosum, known as the splenium, is relatively preserved during the course of normal ageing. However, the effect of age on its distinct interhemispheric tract bundles that project to bilateral occipital, parietal and temporal areas of the cortex, is largely unknown. In the present study, diffusion tensor imaging was used to directly examine the integrity of these distinct segregations and their diffusion metrics were compared between groups of young adults (n = 20, mean age = 30.75) and older adults (n = 19, mean age = 80.21). Results revealed that while occipital tracts were preserved in older adults, parietal and temporal segments were particularly impaired. These findings are the first to indicate the existence of selective alterations in the posterior region of the corpus callosum in older age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Francois Delvenne
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
| | - Brian Scally
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - David Bunce
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Rose Burke
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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Thompson R, Hallas L, Moseley P, Alderson-Day B. Cognitive and phenomenological characteristics of hallucination-proneness across the lifespan. Cogn Neuropsychiatry 2021; 26:18-34. [PMID: 33238807 DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2020.1850435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The impact of age on hallucination-proneness within healthy adult cohorts and its relation to underlying cognitive mechanisms is underexplored. Based on previously researched trends in relation to cognitive ageing, we hypothesised that older and younger adults, when compared to a middle adult age group, would show differential relations between hallucination-proneness and cognitive performance. METHODS A mixed methods, between-groups study was conducted with 30 young adults, 26 older adults, and 27 from a "middle adulthood" group. Participants completed a source memory task, jumbled speech task, Launay-Slade hallucination scale, unusual experiences schedule, and control measures of delusion-proneness and attitudes to mental health. RESULTS Compared to older age-groups, younger participants demonstrated better scores on the source memory task, and reported hearing more words in jumbled speech. Additionally, younger cohorts rated higher on hallucination-proneness and disclosed more unusual experiences on a customised schedule designed to gather further qualitative data. Jumbled speech scores positively correlated with hallucination-proneness scores, particularly for the "middle" age group. Source memory performance unexpectedly correlated positively with hallucination-proneness, although this may be the product of age differences in task performance. CONCLUSIONS Age differences in hallucination-proneness are evident on self-report and cognitive measures. Implications are discussed for potentially non-overlapping cognitive mechanisms underlying hallucination-proneness in non-clinical groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Hallas
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Peter Moseley
- Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Moskowitz S, Russ DW, Clark LA, Wages NP, Grooms DR, Woods AJ, Suhr J, Simon JE, O'Shea A, Criss CR, Fadda P, Clark BC. Is impaired dopaminergic function associated with mobility capacity in older adults? GeroScience 2020; 43:1383-1404. [PMID: 33236263 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-020-00303-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The capacity to move is essential for independence and declines with age. Slow movement speed, in particular, is strongly associated with negative health outcomes. Prior research on mobility (herein defined as movement slowness) and aging has largely focused on musculoskeletal mechanisms and processes. More recent work has provided growing evidence for a significant role of the nervous system in contributing to reduced mobility in older adults. In this article, we report four pieces of complementary evidence from behavioral, genetic, and neuroimaging experiments that, we believe, provide theoretical support for the assertion that the basal ganglia and its dopaminergic function are responsible, in part, for age-related reductions in mobility. We report four a posteriori findings from an existing dataset: (1) slower central activation of ballistic force development is associated with worse mobility among older adults; (2) older adults with the Val/Met intermediate catecholamine-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) genotype involved in dopamine degradation exhibit greater mobility than their homozygous counterparts; (3) there are moderate relationships between performance times from a series of lower and upper extremity tasks supporting the notion that movement speed in older adults is a trait-like attribute; and (4) there is a relationship of functional connectivity within the medial orbofrontal (mOFC) cortico-striatal network and measures of mobility, suggesting that a potential neural mechanism for impaired mobility with aging is the deterioration of the integrity of key regions within the mOFC cortico-striatal network. These findings align with recent basic and clinical science work suggesting that the basal ganglia and its dopaminergic function are mechanistically linked to age-related reductions in mobility capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Moskowitz
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - David W Russ
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.,School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.,School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Leatha A Clark
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences at Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.,Department of Family Medicine at Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Nathan P Wages
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences at Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Dustin R Grooms
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.,School of Applied Health and Wellness, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Julie Suhr
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.,Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Janet E Simon
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.,School of Applied Health and Wellness, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Andrew O'Shea
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cody R Criss
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Paolo Fadda
- Genomics Shared Resource-Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Brian C Clark
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, 250 Irvine Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Sciences at Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA. .,Division of Geriatric Medicine at Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
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McDonough IM, Madan CR. Structural complexity is negatively associated with brain activity: a novel multimodal test of compensation theories of aging. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 98:185-196. [PMID: 33302180 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fractal dimensionality (FD) measures the complexity within the folds and ridges of cortical and subcortical structures. We tested the degree that FD might provide a new perspective on the atrophy-compensation hypothesis: age or disease-related atrophy causes a compensatory neural response in the form of increased brain activity in the prefrontal cortex to maintain cognition. Brain structural and functional data were collected from 63 middle-aged and older adults and 18 young-adult controls. Two distinct patterns of FD were found that separated cortical from subcortical structures. Subcortical FD was more strongly negatively correlated with age than cortical FD, and cortical FD was negatively associated with brain activity during memory retrieval in medial and lateral parietal cortices uniquely in middle-aged and older adults. Multivariate analyses revealed that the lower FD/higher brain activity pattern was associated with poorer cognition-patterns not present in young adults, consistent with compensation. Bayesian analyses provide further evidence against the modal interpretation of the atrophy-compensation hypothesis in the prefrontal cortex-a key principle found in some neurocognitive theories of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M McDonough
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
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38
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Menant JC, Maidan I, Alcock L, Al-Yahya E, Cerasa A, Clark DJ, de Bruin ED, Fraser S, Gramigna V, Hamacher D, Herold F, Holtzer R, Izzetoglu M, Lim S, Pantall A, Pelicioni P, Peters S, Rosso AL, St George R, Stuart S, Vasta R, Vitorio R, Mirelman A. A consensus guide to using functional near-infrared spectroscopy in posture and gait research. Gait Posture 2020; 82:254-265. [PMID: 32987345 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is increasingly used in the field of posture and gait to investigate patterns of cortical brain activation while people move freely. fNIRS methods, analysis and reporting of data vary greatly across studies which in turn can limit the replication of research, interpretation of findings and comparison across works. RESEARCH QUESTION AND METHODS Considering these issues, we propose a set of practical recommendations for the conduct and reporting of fNIRS studies in posture and gait, acknowledging specific challenges related to clinical groups with posture and gait disorders. RESULTS Our paper is organized around three main sections: 1) hardware set up and study protocols, 2) artefact removal and data processing and, 3) outcome measures, validity and reliability; it is supplemented with a detailed checklist. SIGNIFICANCE This paper was written by a core group of members of the International Society for Posture and Gait Research and posture and gait researchers, all experienced in fNIRS research, with the intent of assisting the research community to lead innovative and impactful fNIRS studies in the field of posture and gait, whilst ensuring standardization of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine C Menant
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Inbal Maidan
- Laboratory for Early Markers of Neurodegeneration (LEMON), Center for the Study of Movement, Cognition, and Mobility (CMCM), Neurological Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel; Department of Neurology, Sackler School of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lisa Alcock
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Emad Al-Yahya
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; Movement Science Group, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Antonio Cerasa
- IRIB, National Research Council, Mangone, CS, Italy; S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN), Crotone, Italy
| | - David J Clark
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Eling D de Bruin
- Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland; Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Sarah Fraser
- École interdisciplinaire des sciences de la santé (Interdisciplinary School of Health sciences), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vera Gramigna
- Neuroscience Research Center, "Magna Graecia" University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Dennis Hamacher
- German University for Health and Sports, (DHGS), Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Herold
- Research Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Otto Von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Roee Holtzer
- Yeshiva University, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Meltem Izzetoglu
- Villanova University, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Shannon Lim
- Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Annette Pantall
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Paulo Pelicioni
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia; School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sue Peters
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Rehabilitation Research Program, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Andrea L Rosso
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Rebecca St George
- Sensorimotor Neuroscience and Ageing Research Group, School of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Samuel Stuart
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Roberta Vasta
- Neuroscience Research Center, "Magna Graecia" University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Rodrigo Vitorio
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Anat Mirelman
- Laboratory for Early Markers of Neurodegeneration (LEMON), Center for the Study of Movement, Cognition, and Mobility (CMCM), Neurological Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel; Department of Neurology, Sackler School of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Hou M, de Chastelaine M, Jayakumar M, Donley BE, Rugg MD. Recollection-related hippocampal fMRI effects predict longitudinal memory change in healthy older adults. Neuropsychologia 2020; 146:107537. [PMID: 32569610 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prior fMRI studies have reported relationships between memory-related activity in the hippocampus and in-scanner memory performance, but whether such activity is predictive of longitudinal memory change remains unclear. Here, we administered a neuropsychological test battery to a sample of cognitively healthy older adults on three occasions, the second and third sessions occurring one month and three years after the first session. Structural and functional MRI data were acquired between the first two sessions. The fMRI data were derived from an associative recognition procedure and allowed estimation of hippocampal effects associated with both successful associative encoding and successful associative recognition (recollection). Baseline memory performance and memory change were evaluated using memory component scores derived from a principal components analysis of the neuropsychological test scores. Across participants, right hippocampal encoding effects correlated significantly with baseline memory performance after controlling for chronological age. Additionally, both left and right hippocampal associative recognition effects correlated negatively with longitudinal memory decline after controlling for age, and the relationship with the left hippocampal effect remained after also controlling for left hippocampal volume. Thus, in cognitively healthy older adults, the magnitude of hippocampal recollection effects appears to be a robust predictor of future memory change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhu Hou
- Center for Vital Longevity and School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA.
| | - Marianne de Chastelaine
- Center for Vital Longevity and School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA
| | - Manasi Jayakumar
- Center for Vital Longevity and School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA
| | - Brian E Donley
- Center for Vital Longevity and School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA
| | - Michael D Rugg
- Center for Vital Longevity and School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA; School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
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Kovacevic A, Fenesi B, Paolucci E, Heisz JJ. The effects of aerobic exercise intensity on memory in older adults. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2020; 45:591-600. [DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2019-0495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Aerobic exercise may enhance memory in older adults. However, the optimal intensity and underlying mechanism are unclear. This community-based study examined the effect of aerobic exercise intensity on memory and general cognitive abilities. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was examined as a potential mechanism. Sixty-four sedentary older adults participated in 1 of 3 groups: (i) high-intensity interval training (HIIT); (ii) moderate continuous training (MCT); or (iii) stretching control (CON). Prior to and following the intervention, high-interference memory was assessed using a Mnemonic Similarity task and executive functions were assessed using Go Nogo and Flanker tasks. HIIT led to the greatest memory performance compared with MCT and CON (F[2,55] = 6.04, p = 0.004) and greater improvements in memory correlated with greater increases in fitness (rs (46) = 0.27, p = 0.03). Exercise intensity seemed to matter less for executive functioning, as positive trends were observed for both HIIT and MCT. No significant differences in BDNF were found between groups. Overall, these results suggest that aerobic exercise may enhance memory in older adults, with the potential for higher intensity exercise to yield the greatest benefit. While our findings suggest that BDNF does not regulate these adaptations, the mechanisms remain to be determined. Novelty High-intensity interval training results in the greatest memory performance in inactive older adults compared with moderate continuous training or stretching. Improvement in fitness correlates with improvement in memory performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Kovacevic
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Barbara Fenesi
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Emily Paolucci
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Jennifer J. Heisz
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
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Rieck JR, Rodrigue KM, Park DC, Kennedy KM. White Matter Microstructure Predicts Focal and Broad Functional Brain Dedifferentiation in Normal Aging. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 32:1536-1549. [PMID: 32286134 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ventral visual cortex exhibits highly organized and selective patterns of functional activity associated with visual processing. However, this specialization decreases in normal aging, with functional responses to different visual stimuli becoming more similar with age, a phenomenon termed "dedifferentiation." The current study tested the hypothesis that age-related degradation of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), a white matter pathway involved in visual perception, could account for dedifferentiation of both localized and distributed brain activity in ventral visual cortex. Participants included 281 adults, ages 20-89 years, from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study who underwent diffusion-weighted imaging to measure white matter diffusivity, as well as fMRI to measure functional selectivity to viewing photographs from different categories (e.g., faces, houses). In general, decreased ILF anisotropy significantly predicted both focal and broad functional dedifferentiation. Specifically, there was a localized effect of structure on function, such that decreased anisotropy in a smaller mid-fusiform region of ILF predicted less selective (i.e., more dedifferentiated) response to viewing faces in a proximal face-responsive region of fusiform. On the other hand, the whole ILF predicted less selective response across broader ventral visual cortex for viewing animate (e.g., human faces, animals) versus inanimate (e.g., houses, chairs) images. This structure-function relationship became weaker with age and was no longer significant after the age of 70 years. These findings indicate that decreased white matter anisotropy is associated with maladaptive differences in proximal brain function and is an important variable to consider when interpreting age differences in functional selectivity.
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Gertel VH, Karimi H, Dennis NA, Neely KA, Diaz MT. Lexical frequency affects functional activation and accuracy in picture naming among older and younger adults. Psychol Aging 2020; 35:536-552. [PMID: 32191059 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As individuals age, they experience increased difficulties producing speech, especially with infrequent words. Older adults report that word retrieval difficulties frequently occur and are highly frustrating. However, little is known about how age affects the neural basis of language production. Moreover, age-related increases in brain activation are often observed, yet there is disagreement about whether such increases represent a form of neural compensation or dedifferentiation. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine if there are age-related differences in functional activation during picture naming and whether such differences are consistent with a compensatory, dedifferentiation, or hybrid account that factors in difficulty. Healthy younger and older adults performed a picture-naming task with stimuli that varied in lexical frequency-our proxy for difficulty. Both younger and older adults were sensitive to lexical frequency behaviorally and neurally. However, younger adults performed more accurately overall and engaged both language (bilateral insula and temporal pole) and cognitive control (bilateral superior frontal gyri and left cingulate) regions to a greater extent than older adults when processing lower frequency items. In both groups, poorer performance was associated with increases in functional activation consistent with dedifferentiation. Moreover, there were age-related differences in the strength of these correlations, with better performing younger adults modulating the bilateral insula and temporal pole and better performing older adults modulating bilateral frontal pole and precuneus. Overall, these findings highlight the influence of task difficulty on fMRI activation in older adults and suggest that as task difficulty increases, older and younger adults rely on different neural resources. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Webb CE, Rodrigue KM, Hoagey DA, Foster CM, Kennedy KM. Contributions of White Matter Connectivity and BOLD Modulation to Cognitive Aging: A Lifespan Structure-Function Association Study. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:1649-1661. [PMID: 31599929 PMCID: PMC7132902 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to flexibly modulate brain activation to increasing cognitive challenge decreases with aging. This age-related decrease in dynamic range of function of regional gray matter may be, in part, due to age-related degradation of regional white matter tracts. Here, a lifespan sample of 171 healthy adults (aged 20-94) underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning including diffusion-weighted imaging (for tractography) and functional imaging (a digit n-back task). We utilized structural equation modeling to test the hypothesis that age-related decrements in white matter microstructure are associated with altered blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) modulation, and both in turn, are associated with scanner-task accuracy and executive function performance. Specified structural equation model evidenced good fit, demonstrating that increased age negatively affects n-back task accuracy and executive function performance in part due to both degraded white matter tract microstructure and reduced task-difficulty-related BOLD modulation. We further demonstrated that poorer white matter microstructure integrity was associated with weakened BOLD modulation, particularly in regions showing positive modulation effects, as opposed to negative modulation effects. This structure-function association study provides further evidence that structural connectivity influences functional activation, and the two mechanisms in tandem are predictive of cognitive performance, both during the task, and for cognition measured outside the scanner environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina E Webb
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Karen M Rodrigue
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - David A Hoagey
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Chris M Foster
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Kristen M Kennedy
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
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44
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Age-related differences in the temporal dynamics of spectral power during memory encoding. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227274. [PMID: 31945080 PMCID: PMC6964832 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined oscillatory power in electroencephalographic recordings obtained while younger (18-30 years) and older (60+ years) adults studied lists of words for later recall. Power changed in a highly consistent way from word-to-word across the study period. Above 14 Hz, there were virtually no age differences in these neural gradients. But gradients below 14 Hz reliably discriminated between age groups. Older adults with the best memory performance showed the largest departures from the younger adult pattern of neural activity. These results suggest that age differences in the dynamics of neural activity across an encoding period reflect changes in cognitive processing that may compensate for age-related decline.
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45
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Clark DJ, Manini TM, Ferris DP, Hass CJ, Brumback BA, Cruz-Almeida Y, Pahor M, Reuter-Lorenz PA, Seidler RD. Multimodal Imaging of Brain Activity to Investigate Walking and Mobility Decline in Older Adults (Mind in Motion Study): Hypothesis, Theory, and Methods. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 11:358. [PMID: 31969814 PMCID: PMC6960208 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related brain changes likely contribute to mobility impairments, but the specific mechanisms are poorly understood. Current brain measurement approaches (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), PET) are limited by inability to measure activity from the whole brain during walking. The Mind in Motion Study will use cutting edge, mobile, high-density electroencephalography (EEG). This approach relies upon innovative hardware and software to deliver three-dimensional localization of active cortical and subcortical regions with good spatial and temporal resolution during walking. Our overarching objective is to determine age-related changes in the central neural control of walking and correlate these findings with a comprehensive set of mobility outcomes (clinic-based, complex walking, and community mobility measures). Our hypothesis is that age-related walking deficits are explained in part by the Compensation Related Utilization of Neural Circuits Hypothesis (CRUNCH). CRUNCH is a well-supported model that describes the over-recruitment of brain regions exhibited by older adults in comparison to young adults, even at low levels of task complexity. CRUNCH also describes the limited brain reserve resources available with aging. These factors cause older adults to quickly reach a ceiling in brain resources when performing tasks of increasing complexity, leading to poor performance. Two hundred older adults and twenty young adults will undergo extensive baseline neuroimaging and walking assessments. Older adults will subsequently be followed for up to 3 years. Aim 1 will evaluate whether brain activity during actual walking explains mobility decline. Cross sectional and longitudinal designs will be used to study whether poorer walking performance and steeper trajectories of decline are associated with CRUNCH indices. Aim 2 is to harmonize high-density EEG during walking with fNIRS (during actual and imagined walking) and fMRI (during imagined walking). This will allow integration of CRUNCH-related hallmarks of brain activity across neuroimaging modalities, which is expected to lead to more widespread application of study findings. Aim 3 will study central and peripheral mechanisms (e.g., cerebral blood flow, brain regional volumes, and connectivity, sensory function) to explain differences in CRUNCH indices during walking. Research performed in the Mind in Motion Study will comprehensively characterize the aging brain during walking for developing new intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Clark
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Todd M Manini
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Daniel P Ferris
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Chris J Hass
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Babette A Brumback
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Marco Pahor
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | | | - Rachael D Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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46
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Lucas M, Wagshul ME, Izzetoglu M, Holtzer R. Moderating Effect of White Matter Integrity on Brain Activation During Dual-Task Walking in Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2019; 74:435-441. [PMID: 29917044 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/gly131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Using multimodal neuroimaging methods, the current study was designed to examine the relationship between white matter microstructural integrity (WMI) and changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) during active walking in older adults. Consistent with neural inefficiency, we hypothesized that worse WMI would be associated with a greater increase in PFC HbO2 from single to dual-task walking in the context of worse or similar gait performance. Fifty-five cognitively healthy older adults (mean age = 74.76 years, 49% women) underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to derive a whole-brain measure of fractional anisotropy (FA) and functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), which measured PFC HbO2 during walking tasks. Gait velocity was assessed using an instrumented walkway. A linear mixed effects model revealed that HbO2 levels increased from single to dual-task walking (P < 0.01) given the greater cognitive demands inherent in the latter condition. Moreover, WMI moderated the effect of dual tasking on PFC HbO2 (P < 0.05). Specifically, worse WMI was associated with a larger increase in PFC HbO2 levels from single to dual-task walking in the context of similar gait velocity. Results suggest that compromised WMI may be a mechanism underlying inefficient brain response to cognitive demands of locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Lucas
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York
| | - Mark E Wagshul
- Department of Radiology, Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Meltem Izzetoglu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Villanova University, Pennsylvania
| | - Roee Holtzer
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York.,Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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47
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Ter Telgte A, van Leijsen EMC, Wiegertjes K, Klijn CJM, Tuladhar AM, de Leeuw FE. Cerebral small vessel disease: from a focal to a global perspective. Nat Rev Neurol 2019; 14:387-398. [PMID: 29802354 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-018-0014-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 273] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is commonly observed on neuroimaging among elderly individuals and is recognized as a major vascular contributor to dementia, cognitive decline, gait impairment, mood disturbance and stroke. However, clinical symptoms are often highly inconsistent in nature and severity among patients with similar degrees of SVD on brain imaging. Here, we provide a new framework based on new advances in structural and functional neuroimaging that aims to explain the remarkable clinical variation in SVD. First, we discuss the heterogeneous pathology present in SVD lesions despite an identical appearance on imaging and the perilesional and remote effects of these lesions. We review effects of SVD on structural and functional connectivity in the brain, and we discuss how network disruption by SVD can lead to clinical deficits. We address reserve and compensatory mechanisms in SVD and discuss the part played by other age-related pathologies. Finally, we conclude that SVD should be considered a global rather than a focal disease, as the classically recognized focal lesions affect remote brain structures and structural and functional network connections. The large variability in clinical symptoms among patients with SVD can probably be understood by taking into account the heterogeneity of SVD lesions, the effects of SVD beyond the focal lesions, the contribution of neurodegenerative pathologies other than SVD, and the interaction with reserve mechanisms and compensatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemieke Ter Telgte
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Esther M C van Leijsen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Kim Wiegertjes
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Catharina J M Klijn
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Anil M Tuladhar
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Frank-Erik de Leeuw
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Donders Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
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48
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Lissemore JI, Shanks HRC, Butters MA, Bhandari A, Zomorrodi R, Rajji TK, Karp JF, Reynolds CF, Lenze EJ, Daskalakis ZJ, Mulsant BH, Blumberger DM. An inverse relationship between cortical plasticity and cognitive inhibition in late-life depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1659-1666. [PMID: 31071718 PMCID: PMC6785107 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0413-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Executive dysfunction is a common and disabling component of late-life depression (LLD), yet its neural mechanisms remain unclear. In particular, it is not yet known how executive functioning in LLD relates to measures of cortical physiology that may change with age and illness, namely cortical inhibition/excitation and plasticity. Here, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure cortical inhibition/excitation (n = 51), and the potentiation of cortical activity following paired associative stimulation, which is thought to reflect long-term potentiation (LTP)-like cortical plasticity (n = 32). We assessed the correlation between these measures of cortical physiology and two measures of executive functioning: cognitive inhibition, assessed using the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Color-Word Interference ["Stroop"] Test, and cognitive flexibility, assessed using the Trail Making Test. Correlations with recall memory and processing speed were also performed to assess the specificity of any associations to executive functioning. A significant correlation was found between greater LTP-like cortical plasticity and poorer cognitive inhibition, a core executive function (rp = -0.56, p < 0.001). We did not observe significant associations between cortical inhibition/excitation and executive functioning, or between any neurophysiological measure and cognitive flexibility, memory, or processing speed. Our finding that elevated cortical plasticity is associated with diminished cognitive inhibition emphasizes the importance of balanced synaptic strengthening to healthy cognition. More specifically, our findings suggest that hyper-excitability of cortical circuits following repeated cortical activation may promote inappropriate prepotent responses in LLD. LTP-like cortical plasticity might therefore represent a neural mechanism underlying an inhibitory control cognitive endophenotype of LLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer I Lissemore
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Hayley R C Shanks
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Meryl A Butters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Apoorva Bhandari
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Reza Zomorrodi
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Tarek K Rajji
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Jordan F Karp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- VAPHS, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Charles F Reynolds
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eric J Lenze
- Healthy Mind Lab, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Zafiris J Daskalakis
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Benoit H Mulsant
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Daniel M Blumberger
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
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49
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Boulet‐Craig A, Robaey P, Barlaam F, Laniel J, Oswald V, Jerbi K, Sultan S, Affret‐Bertout L, Drouin S, Krajinovic M, Laverdière C, Sinnett D, Jolicoeur P, Lippé S. Visual short‐term memory activation patterns in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer 2019; 125:3639-3648. [DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aubree Boulet‐Craig
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Psychology University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Philippe Robaey
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Psychology University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Psychiatry University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Psychiatry University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Ottawa Ontario Canada
| | - Fanny Barlaam
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Julie Laniel
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Psychology University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Victor Oswald
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Karim Jerbi
- Department of Psychology University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Serge Sultan
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Psychology University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | | | - Simon Drouin
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Maja Krajinovic
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Pediatrics University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Caroline Laverdière
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Pediatrics University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Daniel Sinnett
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Pediatrics University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Pierre Jolicoeur
- Department of Psychology University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Sarah Lippé
- CHU Sainte‐Justine Research Center Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Psychology University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
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50
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Brown CA, Schmitt FA, Smith CD, Gold BT. Distinct patterns of default mode and executive control network circuitry contribute to present and future executive function in older adults. Neuroimage 2019; 195:320-332. [PMID: 30953834 PMCID: PMC6536351 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.03.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) performance in older adults has been linked with functional and structural profiles within the executive control network (ECN) and default mode network (DMN), white matter hyperintensities (WMH) burden and levels of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Here, we simultaneously explored the unique contributions of these factors to baseline and longitudinal EF performance in older adults. Thirty-two cognitively normal (CN) older adults underwent neuropsychological testing at baseline and annually for three years. Neuroimaging and AD pathology measures were collected at baseline. Separate linear regression models were used to determine which of these variables predicted composite EF scores at baseline and/or average annual change in composite ΔEF scores over the three-year follow-up period. Results demonstrated that low DMN deactivation, high ECN activation and WMH burden were the main predictors of EF scores at baseline. In contrast, poor DMN and ECN WM microstructure and higher AD pathology predicted greater annual decline in EF scores. Subsequent mediation analysis demonstrated that DMN WM microstructure uniquely mediated the relationship between AD pathology and ΔEF. These results suggest that functional activation patterns within the DMN and ECN and WMHs contribute to baseline EF while structural connectivity within these networks impact longitudinal EF performance in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Brown
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Frederick A Schmitt
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Charles D Smith
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Brian T Gold
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
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