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Nghiem TAE, Lee B, Chao THH, Branigan NK, Mistry PK, Shih YYI, Menon V. Space wandering in the rodent default mode network. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315167121. [PMID: 38557177 PMCID: PMC11009630 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315167121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) is a large-scale brain network known to be suppressed during a wide range of cognitive tasks. However, our comprehension of its role in naturalistic and unconstrained behaviors has remained elusive because most research on the DMN has been conducted within the restrictive confines of MRI scanners. Here, we use multisite GCaMP (a genetically encoded calcium indicator) fiber photometry with simultaneous videography to probe DMN function in awake, freely exploring rats. We examined neural dynamics in three core DMN nodes-the retrosplenial cortex, cingulate cortex, and prelimbic cortex-as well as the anterior insula node of the salience network, and their association with the rats' spatial exploration behaviors. We found that DMN nodes displayed a hierarchical functional organization during spatial exploration, characterized by stronger coupling with each other than with the anterior insula. Crucially, these DMN nodes encoded the kinematics of spatial exploration, including linear and angular velocity. Additionally, we identified latent brain states that encoded distinct patterns of time-varying exploration behaviors and found that higher linear velocity was associated with enhanced DMN activity, heightened synchronization among DMN nodes, and increased anticorrelation between the DMN and anterior insula. Our findings highlight the involvement of the DMN in collectively and dynamically encoding spatial exploration in a real-world setting. Our findings challenge the notion that the DMN is primarily a "task-negative" network disengaged from the external world. By illuminating the DMN's role in naturalistic behaviors, our study underscores the importance of investigating brain network function in ecologically valid contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Byeongwook Lee
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Tzu-Hao Harry Chao
- Center for Animal MRI, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
| | - Nicholas K. Branigan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Percy K. Mistry
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Center for Animal MRI, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27514
| | - Vinod Menon
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94304
- Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94304
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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2
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Stijic M, Petrovic K, Schwingenschuh P, Koini M, Schmidt R. The Purdue Pegboard Test: Normative Data From 1,355 Healthy People From Austria. Am J Occup Ther 2023; 77:7703205030. [PMID: 37326570 DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2023.050023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) is widely used as a measure of manual dexterity. Declining manual dexterity may predict cognitive decline among elderly people, but normative data for this population are scarce. OBJECTIVE To identify demographic and clinical predictors of PPT results in normal middle-aged and elderly Austrian people and to provide norms stratified by significant determinants. DESIGN A prospective, community-based cohort study using baseline data of participants from two study panels (1991-1994 and 1999-2003). SETTING Monocentric study Participants: 1,355 healthy, randomly selected, community-dwelling people ages 40 to 79 yr. METHOD Extensive clinical examination, including completion of the PPT. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The number of pegs placed within a 30-s time limit on four subtests: using the right hand, left hand, both hands, and assembly (within 60 s), respectively. Demographic outcomes were the highest grade achieved. RESULTS For all four subtests, increasing age (βs = -0.400 to -0.118, SEs = 0.006 to 0.019, p < .001) and male sex (βs = -1.440 to -0.807, SEs = 0.107 to 0.325, p < .001) was related to worse test results. Among vascular risk factors, diabetes (βs = -1.577 to -0.419, SEs = 0.165 to 0.503, p < .001) was related to worse test results but explained only a small portion (0.7%-1.1%) of the variability in PPT performance. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE We provide age- and sex-specific norms of the PPT for a middle-aged and elderly population. The data represent useful reference values when assessing manual dexterity in older age groups. What This Article Adds: Advancing age and male sex relate to worse performance on the PPT in a community-dwelling cohort without signs and symptoms of neurological disease. Vascular risk factors explain only very little of the variance of test results in our population. Our study adds to the limited age- and sex-specific norms of the PPT among middle-aged and older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Stijic
- Marko Stijic, MSc, is Psychologist, University Clinic for Neurology and Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria;
| | - Katja Petrovic
- Katja Petrovic, MSc, is Psychologist, University Clinic for Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Petra Schwingenschuh
- Petra Schwingenschuh, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor and Neurologist, University Clinic for Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Marisa Koini
- Marisa Koini, PhD, is Associate Professor and Psychologist, University Clinic for Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Reinhold Schmidt
- Reinhold Schmidt, MD, PhD, is Full Professor and Neurologist, University Clinic for Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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3
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Overhoff H, Ko YH, Fink GR, Stahl J, Weiss PH, Bode S, Niessen E. The relationship between response dynamics and the formation of confidence varies across the lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:969074. [PMID: 36589534 PMCID: PMC9799236 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.969074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate metacognitive judgments, such as forming a confidence judgment, are crucial for goal-directed behavior but decline with older age. Besides changes in the sensory processing of stimulus features, there might also be changes in the motoric aspects of giving responses that account for age-related changes in confidence. In order to assess the association between confidence and response parameters across the adult lifespan, we measured response times and peak forces in a four-choice flanker task with subsequent confidence judgments. In 65 healthy adults from 20 to 76 years of age, we showed divergent associations of each measure with confidence, depending on decision accuracy. Participants indicated higher confidence after faster responses in correct but not incorrect trials. They also indicated higher confidence after less forceful responses in errors but not in correct trials. Notably, these associations were age-dependent as the relationship between confidence and response time was more pronounced in older participants, while the relationship between confidence and response force decayed with age. Our results add to the notion that confidence is related to response parameters and demonstrate noteworthy changes in the observed associations across the adult lifespan. These changes potentially constitute an expression of general age-related deficits in performance monitoring or, alternatively, index a failing mechanism in the computation of confidence in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Overhoff
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany,Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Individual Differences and Psychological Assessment, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany,*Correspondence: Helen Overhoff,
| | - Yiu Hong Ko
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany,Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Individual Differences and Psychological Assessment, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gereon R. Fink
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany,Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jutta Stahl
- Department of Individual Differences and Psychological Assessment, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter H. Weiss
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich, Germany,Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stefan Bode
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Eva Niessen
- Department of Individual Differences and Psychological Assessment, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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4
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Arakaki X, Hung SM, Rochart R, Fonteh AN, Harrington MG. Alpha desynchronization during Stroop test unmasks cognitively healthy individuals with abnormal CSF Amyloid/Tau. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 112:87-101. [PMID: 35066324 PMCID: PMC8976735 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic dysfunctions precede cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease by decades, affect executive functions, and can be detected by quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG). We used quantitative electroencephalography combined with Stroop testing to identify changes of inhibitory controls in cognitively healthy individuals with an abnormal versus normal ratio of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid/total-tau. We studied two groups of participants (60-94 years) with either normal (CH-NAT or controls, n = 20) or abnormal (CH-PAT, n = 21) CSF amyloid/tau ratio. We compared: alpha event-related desynchronization (ERD), alpha spectral entropy (SE), and their relationships with estimated cognitive reserve. CH-PATs had more negative occipital alpha ERD, and higher frontal and occipital alpha SE during low load congruent trials, indicating hyperactivity. CH-PATs demonstrated fewer frontal SE changes with higher load, incongruent Stroop testing. Correlations of alpha ERD with estimated cognitive reserve were significant in CH-PATs but not in CH-NATs. These results suggested compensatory hyperactivity in CH-PATs compared to CH-NATs. We did not find differences in alpha ERD comparisons with individual CSF amyloid(A), p-tau(T), total-tau(N) biomarkers.
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5
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Higgen FL, Ruppel P, Görner M, Kerzel M, Hendrich N, Feldheim J, Wermter S, Zhang J, Gerloff C. Crossmodal Pattern Discrimination in Humans and Robots: A Visuo-Tactile Case Study. Front Robot AI 2020; 7:540565. [PMID: 33501309 PMCID: PMC7805622 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2020.540565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The quality of crossmodal perception hinges on two factors: The accuracy of the independent unimodal perception and the ability to integrate information from different sensory systems. In humans, the ability for cognitively demanding crossmodal perception diminishes from young to old age. Here, we propose a new approach to research to which degree the different factors contribute to crossmodal processing and the age-related decline by replicating a medical study on visuo-tactile crossmodal pattern discrimination utilizing state-of-the-art tactile sensing technology and artificial neural networks (ANN). We implemented two ANN models to specifically focus on the relevance of early integration of sensory information during the crossmodal processing stream as a mechanism proposed for efficient processing in the human brain. Applying an adaptive staircase procedure, we approached comparable unimodal classification performance for both modalities in the human participants as well as the ANN. This allowed us to compare crossmodal performance between and within the systems, independent of the underlying unimodal processes. Our data show that unimodal classification accuracies of the tactile sensing technology are comparable to humans. For crossmodal discrimination of the ANN the integration of high-level unimodal features on earlier stages of the crossmodal processing stream shows higher accuracies compared to the late integration of independent unimodal classifications. In comparison to humans, the ANN show higher accuracies than older participants in the unimodal as well as the crossmodal condition, but lower accuracies than younger participants in the crossmodal task. Taken together, we can show that state-of-the-art tactile sensing technology is able to perform a complex tactile recognition task at levels comparable to humans. For crossmodal processing, human inspired early sensory integration seems to improve the performance of artificial neural networks. Still, younger participants seem to employ more efficient crossmodal integration mechanisms than modeled in the proposed ANN. Our work demonstrates how collaborative research in neuroscience and embodied artificial neurocognitive models can help to derive models to inform the design of future neurocomputational architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Focko L. Higgen
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Ruppel
- Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Görner
- Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kerzel
- Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Norman Hendrich
- Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Feldheim
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Wermter
- Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jianwei Zhang
- Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Gerloff
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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6
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Quandt F, Fischer F, Schröder J, Heinze M, Lettow I, Frey BM, Kessner SS, Schulz M, Higgen FL, Cheng B, Gerloff C, Thomalla G. Higher white matter hyperintensity lesion load is associated with reduced long-range functional connectivity. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa111. [PMID: 33134915 PMCID: PMC7585696 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral small vessel disease is a common disease in the older population and is recognized as a major risk factor for cognitive decline and stroke. Small vessel disease is considered a global brain disease impacting the integrity of neuronal networks resulting in disturbances of structural and functional connectivity. A core feature of cerebral small vessel disease commonly present on neuroimaging is white matter hyperintensities. We studied high-resolution resting-state EEG, leveraging source reconstruction methods, in 35 participants with varying degree of white matter hyperintensities without clinically evident cognitive impairment in an observational study. In patients with increasing white matter lesion load, global theta power was increased independently of age. Whole-brain functional connectivity revealed a disrupted network confined to the alpha band in participants with higher white matter hyperintensities lesion load. The decrease of functional connectivity was evident in long-range connections, mostly originating or terminating in the frontal lobe. Cognitive testing revealed no global cognitive impairment; however, some participants revealed deficits of executive functions that were related to larger white matter hyperintensities lesion load. In summary, participants without clinical signs of mild cognitive impairment or dementia showed oscillatory changes that were significantly related to white matter lesion load. Hence, oscillatory neuronal network changes due to white matter lesions might act as biomarker prior to clinically relevant behavioural impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Quandt
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
- Correspondence to: Dr. Fanny Quandt Department of Neurology Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany E-mail:
| | - Felix Fischer
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Julian Schröder
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Marlene Heinze
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Iris Lettow
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Benedikt M Frey
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Simon S Kessner
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Maximilian Schulz
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Focko L Higgen
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Bastian Cheng
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Christian Gerloff
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Götz Thomalla
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
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7
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Meissner SN, Krause V, Südmeyer M, Hartmann CJ, Pollok B. Pre-stimulus beta power modulation during motor sequence learning is reduced in 'Parkinson's disease. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 24:102057. [PMID: 31715558 PMCID: PMC6849445 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.102057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Beta oscillations within motor-cortical areas have been linked to sensorimotor function. In line with this, pathologically altered beta activity in cortico-basal ganglia pathways has been suggested to contribute to the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by motor impairment. Although its precise function is still discussed, beta activity might subserve an anticipatory role in preparation of future actions. By reanalyzing previously published data, we aimed at investigating the role of pre-stimulus motor-cortical beta power modulation in motor sequence learning and its alteration in PD. 20 PD patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) performed a serial reaction time task (SRTT) in which reaction time gain presumably reflects the ability to anticipate subsequent sequence items. Randomly varying patterns served as control trials. Neuromagnetic activity was recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG) and data was reanalyzed with respect to task stimuli onset. Assuming that pre-stimulus beta power modulation is functionally related to motor sequence learning, reaction time gain due to training on the SRTT should vary depending on the amount of beta power suppression prior to stimulus onset. We hypothesized to find less pre-stimulus beta power suppression in PD patients as compared to HC associated with reduced motor sequence learning in patients. Behavioral analyses revealed that PD patients exhibited smaller reaction time gain in sequence relative to random control trials than HC indicating reduced learning in PD. This finding was indeed paralleled by reduced pre-stimulus beta power suppression in PD patients. Further strengthening its functional relevance, the amount of pre-stimulus beta power suppression during sequence training significantly predicted subsequent reaction time advantage in sequence relative to random trials in patients. In conclusion, the present data provide first evidence for the contribution of pre-stimulus motor-cortical beta power suppression to motor sequence learning and support the hypothesis that beta oscillations may subserve an anticipatory, predictive function, possibly compromised in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nadine Meissner
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany; Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Vanessa Krause
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany; Department of Neuropsychology, Mauritius Hospital, Meerbusch, Germany
| | - Martin Südmeyer
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Christian Johannes Hartmann
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany; Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Bettina Pollok
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
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8
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Quandt F, Fischer F, Schröder J, Heinze M, Kessner SS, Malherbe C, Schulz R, Cheng B, Fiehler J, Gerloff C, Thomalla G. Normalization of reduced functional connectivity after revascularization of asymptomatic carotid stenosis. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2020; 40:1838-1848. [PMID: 31510853 PMCID: PMC7446560 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x19874338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Internal carotid artery stenosis is a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Even in the absence of visible structural brain changes, patients with asymptomatic stenosis are prone to cognitive impairment. On a neuronal level, it was suggested that stenosis may lead to disturbed functional brain connectivity. If so, carotid revascularization should have an effect on hypothesized brain network disturbances. We studied functional connectivity in a motor network by resting-state electroencephalography in 12 patients with high grade asymptomatic carotid stenosis before and after interventional or surgical revascularization as compared to 23 controls. In patients with stenosis, functional connectivity of neural oscillations was significantly decreased prior and improved returning to normal connectivity after revascularization. In a subgroup of patients, also studied by contrast perfusion magnetic resonance imaging, reduced connectivity was associated with decreased regional brain perfusion reflected by increased mean transit time in the middle cerebral artery borderzone. Cognitive testing revealed only minor differences between patients and controls. In summary, we identified oscillatory connectivity changes in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis correlating with regional hypoperfusion, which both normalized after revascularization. Hence, electrophysiological changes might be a reversible precursor preceding macroscopic structural brain damage and behavioral impairment in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Quandt
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Felix Fischer
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julian Schröder
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlene Heinze
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simon S Kessner
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Caroline Malherbe
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robert Schulz
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bastian Cheng
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jens Fiehler
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Gerloff
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Götz Thomalla
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Fresnoza S, Christova M, Bieler L, Körner C, Zimmer U, Gallasch E, Ischebeck A. Age-Dependent Effect of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Motor Skill Consolidation. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:25. [PMID: 32116653 PMCID: PMC7016219 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is the application of subthreshold, sinusoidal current to modulate ongoing brain rhythms related to sensory, motor and cognitive processes. Electrophysiological studies suggested that the effect of tACS applied at an alpha frequency (8–12 Hz) was state-dependent. The effects of tACS, that is, an increase in parieto-occipital electroencephalography (EEG) alpha power and magnetoencephalography (MEG) phase coherence, was only observed when the eyes were open (low alpha power) and not when the eyes were closed (high alpha power). This state-dependency of the effects of alpha tACS might extend to the aging brain characterized by general slowing and decrease in spectral power of the alpha rhythm. We additionally hypothesized that tACS will influence the motor cortex, which is involved in motor skill learning and consolidation. A group of young and old healthy adults performed a serial reaction time task (SRTT) with their right hand before and after the tACS stimulation. Each participant underwent three sessions of stimulation: sham, stimulation applied at the individual participant’s alpha peak frequency or individual alpha peak frequency (iAPF; α-tACS) and stimulation with iAPF plus 2 Hz (α2-tACS) to the left motor cortex for 10 min (1.5 mA). We measured the effect of stimulation on general motor skill (GMS) and sequence-specific skill (SS) consolidation. We found that α-tACS and α2-tACS improved GMS and SS consolidation in the old group. In contrast, α-tACS minimally improved GMS consolidation but impaired SS consolidation in the young group. On the other hand, α2-tACS was detrimental to the consolidation of both skills in the young group. Our results suggest that individuals with aberrant alpha rhythm such as the elderly could benefit more from tACS stimulation, whereas for young healthy individuals with intact alpha rhythm the stimulation could be detrimental.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Fresnoza
- Institute of Psychology University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Monica Christova
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Institute of Physiotherapy, University of Applied Sciences FH-JOANNEUM, Graz, Austria
| | - Lara Bieler
- Institute of Psychology University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christof Körner
- Institute of Psychology University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Ulrike Zimmer
- Institute of Psychology University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg (MSH), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eugen Gallasch
- BioTechMed, Graz, Austria.,Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Anja Ischebeck
- Institute of Psychology University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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10
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Kumral D, Şansal F, Cesnaite E, Mahjoory K, Al E, Gaebler M, Nikulin VV, Villringer A. BOLD and EEG signal variability at rest differently relate to aging in the human brain. Neuroimage 2019; 207:116373. [PMID: 31759114 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Variability of neural activity is regarded as a crucial feature of healthy brain function, and several neuroimaging approaches have been employed to assess it noninvasively. Studies on the variability of both evoked brain response and spontaneous brain signals have shown remarkable changes with aging but it is unclear if the different measures of brain signal variability - identified with either hemodynamic or electrophysiological methods - reflect the same underlying physiology. In this study, we aimed to explore age differences of spontaneous brain signal variability with two different imaging modalities (EEG, fMRI) in healthy younger (25 ± 3 years, N = 135) and older (67 ± 4 years, N = 54) adults. Consistent with the previous studies, we found lower blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) variability in the older subjects as well as less signal variability in the amplitude of low-frequency oscillations (1-12 Hz), measured in source space. These age-related reductions were mostly observed in the areas that overlap with the default mode network. Moreover, age-related increases of variability in the amplitude of beta-band frequency EEG oscillations (15-25 Hz) were seen predominantly in temporal brain regions. There were significant sex differences in EEG signal variability in various brain regions while no significant sex differences were observed in BOLD signal variability. Bivariate and multivariate correlation analyses revealed no significant associations between EEG- and fMRI-based variability measures. In summary, we show that both BOLD and EEG signal variability reflect aging-related processes but are likely to be dominated by different physiological origins, which relate differentially to age and sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Kumral
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; MindBrainBody Institute at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - F Şansal
- International Graduate Program Medical Neurosciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - E Cesnaite
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - K Mahjoory
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - E Al
- MindBrainBody Institute at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - M Gaebler
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; MindBrainBody Institute at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - V V Nikulin
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Neurophysics Group, Department of Neurology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
| | - A Villringer
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; MindBrainBody Institute at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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11
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Quandt F, Bönstrup M, Schulz R, Timmermann JE, Mund M, Wessel MJ, Hummel FC. The functional role of beta-oscillations in the supplementary motor area during reaching and grasping after stroke: A question of structural damage to the corticospinal tract. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:3091-3101. [PMID: 30927325 PMCID: PMC6865486 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hand motor function is often severely affected in stroke patients. Non-satisfying recovery limits reintegration into normal daily life. Understanding stroke-related network changes and identifying common principles that might underlie recovered motor function is a prerequisite for the development of interventional therapies to support recovery. Here, we combine the evaluation of functional activity (multichannel electroencephalography) and structural integrity (diffusion tensor imaging) in order to explain the degree of residual motor function in chronic stroke patients. By recording neural activity during a reaching and grasping task that mimics activities of daily living, the study focuses on deficit-related neural activation patterns. The study showed that the functional role of movement-related beta desynchronization in the supplementary motor area (SMA) for residual hand motor function in stroke patients depends on the microstructural integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST). In particular, in patients with damaged CST, stronger task-related activity in the SMA was associated with worse residual motor function. Neither CST damage nor functional brain activity alone sufficiently explained residual hand motor function. The findings suggest a central role of the SMA in the motor network during reaching and grasping in stroke patients, the degree of functional relevance of the SMA is depending on CST integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Quandt
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfHamburgGermany
| | - Marlene Bönstrup
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfHamburgGermany
- Human Cortical Physiology and Neurorehabilitation SectionNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaMaryland
| | - Robert Schulz
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfHamburgGermany
| | - Jan E. Timmermann
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfHamburgGermany
| | - Maike Mund
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfHamburgGermany
| | - Maximilian J. Wessel
- Defitech Chair of Clinical NeuroengineeringBrain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL)GenevaSwitzerland
- Defitech Chair of Clinical NeuroengineeringBrain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Valais (EPFL Valais), Clinique Romande de RéadaptationSionSwitzerland
| | - Friedhelm C. Hummel
- Defitech Chair of Clinical NeuroengineeringBrain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL)GenevaSwitzerland
- Defitech Chair of Clinical NeuroengineeringBrain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Valais (EPFL Valais), Clinique Romande de RéadaptationSionSwitzerland
- Clinical NeuroscienceMedical School University of GenevaGenevaSwitzerland
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12
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Arakaki X, Lee R, King KS, Fonteh AN, Harrington MG. Alpha desynchronization during simple working memory unmasks pathological aging in cognitively healthy individuals. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0208517. [PMID: 30601822 PMCID: PMC6314588 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Our aim is to explore if cognitive challenge combined with objective physiology can reveal abnormal frontal alpha event-related desynchronization (ERD), in early Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) to investigate brain activities during N-back working memory (WM) processing at two different load conditions (N = 0 or 2) in an aging cohort. We studied 60-100 year old participants, with normal cognition, and who fits one of two subgroups from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins: cognitively healthy (CH) with normal amyloid/tau ratio (CH-NAT, n = 10) or pathological amyloid/tau ratio (CH-PAT, n = 14). We recorded behavioral performances, and analyzed alpha power and alpha spectral entropy (SE) at three occasions: during the resting state, and at event-related desynchronization (ERD) [250 ~ 750 ms] during 0-back and 2-back. During 0-back WM testing, the behavioral performance was similar between the two groups, however, qEEG notably differentiated CH-PATs from CH-NATs on the simple, 0-back testing: Alpha ERD decreased from baseline only in the parietal region in CH-NATs, while it decreased in all brain regions in CH-PATs. Alpha SE did not change in CH-NATs, but was increased from baseline in the CH-PATs in frontal and left lateral regions (p<0.01), and was higher in the frontal region (p<0.01) of CH-PATs compared to CH-NATs. The alpha ERD and SE analyses suggest there is frontal lobe dysfunction during WM processing in the CH-PAT stage. Additional power and correlations with behavioral performance were also explored. This study provide pilot information to further evaluate whether this biomarker has clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianghong Arakaki
- Neurosciences, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Ryan Lee
- Neurosciences, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Kevin S. King
- Imaging Research, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Alfred N. Fonteh
- Neurosciences, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Michael G. Harrington
- Neurosciences, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, California, United States of America
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13
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Fresnoza S, Christova M, Feil T, Gallasch E, Körner C, Zimmer U, Ischebeck A. The effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at individual alpha peak frequency (iAPF) on motor cortex excitability in young and elderly adults. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:2573-2588. [PMID: 29943239 PMCID: PMC6153871 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5314-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can modulate brain oscillations, cortical excitability and behaviour. In aging, the decrease in EEG alpha activity (8–12 Hz) in the parieto-occipital and mu rhythm in the motor cortex are correlated with the decline in cognitive and motor functions, respectively. Increasing alpha activity using tACS might therefore improve cognitive and motor function in the elderly. The present study explored the influence of tACS on cortical excitability in young and old healthy adults. We applied tACS at individual alpha peak frequency for 10 min (1.5 mA) to the left motor cortex. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to assess the changes in cortical excitability as measured by motor-evoked potentials at rest, before and after stimulation. TACS increased cortical excitability in both groups. However, our results also suggest that the mechanism behind the effects was different, as we observed an increase and decrease in intracortical inhibition in the old group and young group, respectively. Our results indicate that both groups profited similarly from the stimulation. There was no indication that tACS was more effective in conditions of low alpha power, that is, in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Fresnoza
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. .,Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Monica Christova
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Physiology Section, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Department of Physiotherapy, University of Applied Sciences FH-Joanneum Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Theresa Feil
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Eugen Gallasch
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Christof Körner
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Ulrike Zimmer
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg (MSH), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anja Ischebeck
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
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14
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Kobayashi-Cuya KE, Sakurai R, Suzuki H, Ogawa S, Takebayashi T, Fujiwara Y. Observational Evidence of the Association Between Handgrip Strength, Hand Dexterity, and Cognitive Performance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review. J Epidemiol 2018. [PMID: 29526916 PMCID: PMC6111109 DOI: 10.2188/jea.je20170041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deterioration of hand motor function is a possible risk factor of cognitive impairment in older adults. Despite a growing body of research, a lack of clarity exists regarding the relationships. This review offers a synthesis of existing observational studies evaluating the associations of handgrip strength and hand dexterity with cognitive performance in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS PubMed, PsycINFO, and ScienceDirect were systematically searched (search dates: 1990-2016), and relevant articles were cross-checked for related and relevant publications. RESULTS Twenty-two observational studies assessed the association of handgrip strength or hand dexterity with cognitive performance; none evaluated handgrip strength and hand dexterity together. Handgrip strength was associated with global cognition, mostly assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Also, one cross-sectional and three longitudinal studies found an association with cognitive domains, such as language, memory, visuospatial ability, working memory, and processing speed. Hand dexterity was only assessed cross-sectionally in four studies. These studies found an association with cognitive domains, such as executive function. CONCLUSIONS Although handgrip strength was associated with cognitive performance, it is unclear which variable at baseline affects the other in the long-term. Cross-sectional studies indicate an association between hand dexterity and cognitive performance, yet longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate this association. The interaction effects of both decreased grip strength and hand dexterity on cognitive performance is still unclear; therefore, future studies will need to consider the interaction of the three variables cross-sectionally and longitudinally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimi Estela Kobayashi-Cuya
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Keio University
| | - Ryota Sakurai
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology
| | - Susumu Ogawa
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology
| | - Toru Takebayashi
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Keio University
| | - Yoshinori Fujiwara
- Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology
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15
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Dully J, McGovern DP, O'Connell RG. The impact of natural aging on computational and neural indices of perceptual decision making: A review. Behav Brain Res 2018; 355:48-55. [PMID: 29432793 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
It is well established that natural aging negatively impacts on a wide variety of cognitive functions and research has sought to identify core neural mechanisms that may account for these disparate changes. A central feature of any cognitive task is the requirement to translate sensory information into an appropriate action - a process commonly known as perceptual decision making. While computational, psychophysical, and neurophysiological research has made substantial progress in establishing the key computations and neural mechanisms underpinning decision making, it is only relatively recently that this knowledge has begun to be applied to research on aging. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of this work which is beginning to offer new insights into the core psychological processes that mediate age-related cognitive decline in adults aged 65 years and over. Mathematical modelling studies have consistently reported that older adults display longer non-decisional processing times and implement more conservative decision policies than their younger counterparts. However, there are limits on what we can learn from behavioural modeling alone and neurophysiological analyses can play an essential role in empirically validating model predictions and in pinpointing the precise neural mechanisms that are impacted by aging. Although few studies to date have explicitly examined correspondences between computational models and neural data with respect to cognitive aging, neurophysiological studies have already highlighted age-related changes at multiple levels of the sensorimotor hierarchy that are likely to be consequential for decision making behaviour. Here, we provide an overview of this literature and suggest some future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Dully
- Trinity College Dublin Institute of Neuroscience and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - David P McGovern
- Trinity College Dublin Institute of Neuroscience and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Redmond G O'Connell
- Trinity College Dublin Institute of Neuroscience and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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16
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Buscher N, van Dorsselaer P, Steckler T, Talpos JC. Evaluating aged mice in three touchscreen tests that differ in visual demands: Impaired cognitive function and impaired visual abilities. Behav Brain Res 2017; 333:142-149. [PMID: 28690184 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Normal aging is often accompanied by reductions in cognitive abilities as well as impairments in visual acuity in men and mice. In preclinical models of human cognition this concomitance can make it difficult to assess the relative contributions of declined vision and cognitive ability on behavioral measures of cognition. To assess the influence of age on cognition and the impact of visual decline on the performance of touchscreen-based behavioral paradigms in mice, aged (11, 12, 16, 17, 19 and 21 months old) male C57BL/6J mice were compared to young (3 or 4 months old) male C57BL/6J mice using three tests of cognition as well as an assessment of visual acuity. Performance of a Visual Discrimination, Spatial Reversal, and an Automated Search Task were all affected by age. However, there was no relationship between reduced visual acuity and the observed performance impairments. Moreover, the visual acuity of animals with profound cognitive impairments overlapped with those showing normal cognitive ability. Despite the potential confound of impaired visual ability, it appears that the touchscreen approach might be particularly effective in studying age-related cognitive decline. This approach will increase the utility of aged mice as a model of decreased cognitive flexibility and may be particularly important for the study of age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Buscher
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium; University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Thomas Steckler
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - John C Talpos
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
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