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Pinto R, Albuquerque S, de Castro MV, Levendosky AA, Fonseca M, Jongenelen I, Maia Â, Gamito P. A Virtual Reality Simulation to Examine the Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Decision-Making in First Responders. J Trauma Dissociation 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38978229 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2024.2374370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
First responders (FRs) are continuously exposed to critical incidents, considered traumatic events (TEs). This cumulative exposure increases the risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there is no evidence about the relationship between PTSD symptoms and emergency decision-making (EDM). The objective of this study was to examine the EDM of FRs during a virtual reality through the simulation of two emergency scenarios to collect data on the reaction time and the number of incorrect decisions. We also assessed PTSD symptoms, TE, and sociodemographics. The sample included 368 Portuguese FRs, were 295 (80.20%) males and 73 (19.80%) females, with a mean age of 33.96 (SD = 9.38). Considering the probable PTSD diagnosis according to the DSM-5, 85 (23.10%) of the FRs met the criteria. These individuals who meet the criteria exhibited higher EDM scores (M = 19.60, SD = 5.99) compared to those without probable PTSD (M = 17.87, SD = .5.66) (F(1, 360) = 5.32, p = .02, partial η2 = .015). We found that TEs had a direct effect on EDM, β = -.16, Z = -3.74, p < .001), and the pathway of trauma-PTSD symptoms-decision-making an indirect effect, β = .02, Z = 3.10, p = .002). Individuals exposed to more TEs demonstrated faster and more accurate decision-making in the context of EDM. However, when these individuals developed PTSD symptoms, their decision-making became slower and less accurate. The inclusion of a trauma-informed approach for FRs to prevent individual and job-related consequences is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Pinto
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Albuquerque
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Vieira de Castro
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Alytia A Levendosky
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Micaela Fonseca
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês Jongenelen
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ângela Maia
- School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Pedro Gamito
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
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2
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Jain S, Schweighofer N, Finley JM. Aberrant decision-making as a risk factor for falls in aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1384242. [PMID: 38979111 PMCID: PMC11229407 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1384242] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuromotor impairments resulting from natural aging and aging-related diseases are often accompanied by a heightened prevalence of falls and fall-related injuries. Conventionally, the study of factors contributing to falls focuses on intrinsic characteristics, such as sensorimotor processing delays and weakness, and extrinsic factors, such as environmental obstacles. However, the impact of these factors only becomes evident in response to people's decisions about how and where they will move in their environment. This decision-making process can be considered a behavioral risk factor, and it influences the extent to which a person engages in activities that place them near the limits of their capacity. While there are readily available tools for assessing intrinsic and extrinsic fall risk, our understanding of how to assess behavioral risk is limited. Measuring behavioral risk requires a systematic assessment of how people make decisions when walking in complex environments and how these decisions relate to their functional capacity. We propose that experimental methods and computational models derived from behavioral economics can stimulate the development of such assessments. Behavioral economics relies on theoretical models and empirical studies to characterize the factors that influence how people make decisions under risky conditions where a given decision can have variable outcomes. Applying a behavioral economic approach to walking can provide insight into how internal assessment of one's fall risk influences the tasks that one is willing to perform. Ultimately, these assessments will allow us to identify people who make choices that increase their likelihood of fall-related injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Jain
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nicolas Schweighofer
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - James M. Finley
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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3
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Elmers J, Colzato LS, Ziemssen F, Ziemssen T, Beste C. Optical coherence tomography as a potential surrogate marker of dopaminergic modulation across the life span. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 96:102280. [PMID: 38518921 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102280] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The retina has been considered a "window to the brain" and shares similar innervation by the dopaminergic system with the cortex in terms of an unequal distribution of D1 and D2 receptors. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview that Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), a non-invasive imaging technique, which provides an "in vivo" representation of the retina, shows promise to be used as a surrogate marker of dopaminergic neuromodulation in cognition. Overall, most evidence supports reduced retinal thickness in individuals with dopaminergic dysregulation (e.g., patients with Parkinson's Disease, non-demented older adults) and with poor cognitive functioning. By using the theoretical framework of metacontrol, we derive hypotheses that retinal thinning associated to decreased dopamine (DA) levels affecting D1 families, might lead to a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) affecting cognitive persistence (depending on D1-modulated DA activity) but not cognitive flexibility (depending on D2-modulated DA activity). We argue that the use of OCT parameters might not only be an insightful for cognitive neuroscience research, but also a potentially effective tool for individualized medicine with a focus on cognition. As our society progressively ages in the forthcoming years and decades, the preservation of cognitive abilities and promoting healthy aging will hold of crucial significance. OCT has the potential to function as a swift, non-invasive, and economical method for promptly recognizing individuals with a heightened vulnerability to cognitive deterioration throughout all stages of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Elmers
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany; Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Lorenza S Colzato
- Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Focke Ziemssen
- Ophthalmological Clinic, University Clinic Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany; Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China.
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4
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Aghamohammadi-Sereshki A, Pietrasik W, Malykhin NV. Aging, cingulate cortex, and cognition: insights from structural MRI, emotional recognition, and theory of mind. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-023-02753-5. [PMID: 38305874 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02753-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The cingulate cortex is a limbic structure involved in multiple functions, including emotional processing, pain, cognition, memory, and spatial orientation. The main goal of this structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study was to investigate whether age affects the cingulate cortex uniformly across its anteroposterior dimensions and determine if the effects of age differ based on sex, hemisphere, and regional cingulate anatomy, in a large cohort of healthy individuals across the adult lifespan. The second objective aimed to explore whether the decline in emotional recognition accuracy and Theory of Mind (ToM) is linked to the potential age-related reductions in the pregenual anterior cingulate (ACC) and anterior midcingulate (MCC) cortices. We recruited 126 healthy participants (18-85 years) for this study. MRI datasets were acquired on a 4.7 T system. The cingulate cortex was manually segmented into the pregenual ACC, anterior MCC, posterior MCC, and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). We observed negative relationships between the presence and length of the superior cingulate gyrus and bilateral volumes of pregenual ACC and anterior MCC. Age showed negative effects on the volume of all cingulate cortical subregions bilaterally except for the right anterior MCC. Most of the associations between age and the cingulate subregional volumes were linear. We did not find a significant effect of sex on cingulate cortical volumes. However, stronger effects of age were observed in men compared to women. This study also demonstrated that performance on an emotional recognition task was linked to pregenual ACC volume, whist the ToM capabilities were related to the size of pregenual ACC and anterior MCC. These results suggest that the cingulate cortex contributes to emotional recognition ability and ToM across the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wojciech Pietrasik
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2V2, Canada
| | - Nikolai V Malykhin
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2V2, Canada.
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5
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Horn S. Adult age differences in value-based decision making. Curr Opin Psychol 2024; 55:101765. [PMID: 38103277 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101765] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
A better understanding of age-related differences in judgment and decision making is important from both theoretical and applied perspectives. In this review, we focus on value-based decisions across adulthood and specifically on how loss aversion (a relatively stronger weight of losses than gains on decisions) and the relative motivational impact of gains and losses may change with aging. In doing so, we will also cover recent findings about the effects of gain or loss incentives on performance in cognitive tasks that involve attention, learning, and remembering. We point out open questions and critical moderating variables for future theorizing and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Horn
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
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6
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Ngo S, Jackson AJ, Manivannan M, Young JC, Leggins B, Cryns NG, Tran ST, Grant HE, Knudtson MV, Chiong W. Real World Financial Mismanagement in Alzheimer's Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Primary Progressive Aphasia. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:251-262. [PMID: 38669528 PMCID: PMC11132181 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231021] [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] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background Whereas clinical experience in dementia indicates high risk for financial mismanagement, there has been little formal study of real world financial errors in dementia. Objective We aimed to compare caregiver-reported financial mistakes among people with Alzheimer's disease, behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Methods Caregivers reported whether participants with dementia had made financial mistakes within the last year; and if so, categorized these as resulting from: (a) being too trusting or gullible, (b) being wasteful or careless with money, or (c) trouble with memory. In a pre-registered analysis https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-vupj7-v1), we examined the hypotheses that (1) financial mistakes due to impaired socioemotional function and diminished sensitivity to negative outcomes are more prevalent in bvFTD than in Alzheimer's disease, and (2) financial mistakes due to memory are more prevalent in Alzheimer's disease than in bvFTD. Exploratory analyses addressed vulnerability in PPA and brain-behavior relationships using voxel-based morphometry. Results Concordant with our first hypothesis, bvFTD was more strongly associated than Alzheimer's disease with mistakes due to being too trusting/gullible or wasteful/careless; contrary to our second hypothesis, both groups were similarly likely to make mistakes due to memory. No differences were found between Alzheimer's disease and PPA. Exploratory analyses indicated associations between financial errors and atrophy in right prefrontal and insular cortex. Conclusions Our findings cohere with documented socioemotional and valuation impairments in bvFTD, and with research indicating comparable memory impairment between bvFTD and Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Ngo
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ashley J Jackson
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - J Clayton Young
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brandon Leggins
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Noah G Cryns
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sheila T Tran
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Harli E Grant
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marguerite V Knudtson
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Winston Chiong
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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7
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Noh SM, Singla UK, Bennett IJ, Bornstein AM. Memory precision and age differentially predict the use of decision-making strategies across the lifespan. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17014. [PMID: 37813942 PMCID: PMC10562379 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44107-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Memory function declines in normal aging, in a relatively continuous fashion following middle-age. The effect of aging on decision-making is less well-understood, with seemingly conflicting results on both the nature and direction of these age effects. One route for clarifying these mixed findings is to understand how age-related differences in memory affect decisions. Recent work has proposed memory sampling as a specific computational role for memory in decision-making, alongside well-studied mechanisms of reinforcement learning (RL). Here, we tested the hypothesis that age-related declines in episodic memory alter memory sampling. Participants (total N = 361; ages 18-77) performed one of two variants of a standard reward-guided decision experiment with additional trial-unique mnemonic content and a separately-administered task for assessing memory precision. When we fit participants' choices with a hybrid computational model implementing both memory-based and RL-driven valuation side-by-side, we found that memory precision tracked the contribution of memory sampling to choice. At the same time, age corresponded to decreasing influence of RL and increasing perseveration. A second experiment confirmed these results and further revealed that memory precision tracked the specificity of memories selected for sampling. Together, these findings suggest that differences in decision-making across the lifespan may be related to memory function, and that interventions which aim to improve the former may benefit from targeting the latter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon M Noh
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, The University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Umesh K Singla
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ilana J Bennett
- Department of Psychology, The University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Aaron M Bornstein
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, The University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, The University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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8
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Tisdall L, Mata R. Age differences in the neural basis of decision-making under uncertainty. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:788-808. [PMID: 36890341 PMCID: PMC10390623 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01060-6] [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] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Humans globally are reaping the benefits of longer lives. Yet, longer life spans also require engaging with consequential but often uncertain decisions well into old age. Previous research has yielded mixed findings with regards to life span differences in how individuals make decisions under uncertainty. One factor contributing to the heterogeneity of findings is the diversity of paradigms that cover different aspects of uncertainty and tap into different cognitive and affective mechanisms. In this study, 175 participants (53.14% females, mean age = 44.9 years, SD = 19.0, age range = 16 to 81) completed functional neuroimaging versions of two prominent paradigms in this area, the Balloon Analogue Risk Task and the Delay Discounting Task. Guided by neurobiological accounts of age-related changes in decision-making under uncertainty, we examined age effects on neural activation differences in decision-relevant brain structures, and compared these across multiple contrasts for the two paradigms using specification curve analysis. In line with theoretical predictions, we find age differences in nucleus accumbens, anterior insula, and medial prefrontal cortex, but the results vary across paradigm and contrasts. Our results are in line with existing theories of age differences in decision making and their neural substrates, yet also suggest the need for a broader research agenda that considers how both individual and task characteristics determine the way humans deal with uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loreen Tisdall
- Center for Cognitive and Decision Sciences, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 60-62, 4055, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Rui Mata
- Center for Cognitive and Decision Sciences, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 60-62, 4055, Basel, Switzerland
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9
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Daley RT, Kensinger EA. Cognitive decline, socioemotional change, or both? How the science of aging can inform future research on sacrificial moral dilemmas. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2023; 30:272-299. [PMID: 34933658 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2021.2019183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Older adults comprise the fastest-growing population in the United States. By exercising their right to vote, guiding the value systems of future generations, and holding political office, they shape the moral context of society. It is therefore imperative that we understand older adults' capacity for moral decision-making. Although the vast majority of research on moral decision-making has either focused specifically on younger adults or has not considered age, recent work points to age-related differences in sacrificial moral decision-making, with cognitively healthy older adults making more deontological decisions relative to younger adults. Although only a small number of studies have to date examined age-related differences, there is a wealth of relevant literature on cognitive aging, as well as on sacrificial moral decision-making in younger adults, that point to possible mechanistic explanations for the observed age-related differences. The goal of this review is to situate these age-related differences in sacrificial moral decision-making in the context of these existing literatures in order to guide future, theory-informed, research in this area. We specifically highlight age-related decline in cognitive abilities purported to support utilitarian moral decision-making in younger adults, along with age-related changes to socioemotional information processing as potential mechanistic explanations for these age-related differences. The last section of this review discusses how age-related neural changes may contribute to both cognitive decline and motivational shifts, highlighting the importance for future research to understand brain-behavior relationships on the topic of sacrificial moral decision-making and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Daley
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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10
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Age-Related Changes in Risky Decision Making and Associated Neural Circuitry in a Rat Model. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0385-22.2022. [PMID: 36596593 PMCID: PMC9840382 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0385-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered decision making at advanced ages can have a significant impact on an individual's quality of life and the ability to maintain personal independence. Relative to young adults, older adults make less impulsive and less risky choices; although these changes in decision making could be considered beneficial, they can also lead to choices with potentially negative consequences (e.g., avoidance of medical procedures). Rodent models of decision making have been invaluable for dissecting cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to age-related changes in decision making, but they have predominantly used costs related to timing or probability of reward delivery and have not considered other equally important costs, such as the risk of adverse consequences. The current study therefore used a rat model of decision making involving risk of explicit punishment to examine age-related changes in this form of choice behavior in male rats, and to identify potential cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to these changes. Relative to young rats, aged rats displayed greater risk aversion, which was not attributable to reduced motivation for food, changes in shock sensitivity, or impaired cognitive flexibility. Functional MRI analyses revealed that, overall, functional connectivity was greater in aged rats compared with young rats, particularly among brain regions implicated in risky decision making such as basolateral amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and ventral tegmental area. Collectively, these findings are consistent with greater risk aversion found in older humans, and reveal age-related changes in brain connectivity.
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11
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Aging is associated with maladaptive episodic memory-guided social decision-making. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2208681119. [PMID: 36215461 PMCID: PMC9586277 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208681119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Older adults are frequent targets and victims of financial fraud. They may be especially susceptible to revictimization because of age-related changes in both episodic memory and social motivation. Here we examined these factors in a context where adaptive social decision-making requires intact associative memory for previous social interactions. Older adults made more maladaptive episodic memory-guided social decisions but not only because of poorer associative memory. Older adults were biased toward remembering people as being fair, while young adults were biased toward remembering people as being unfair. Holding memory constant, older adults engaged more with people that were familiar (regardless of the nature of the previous interaction), whereas young adults were prone to avoiding others that they remembered as being unfair. Finally, older adults were more influenced by facial appearances, choosing to interact with social partners that looked more generous, even though those perceptions were inconsistent with prior experience.
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12
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Torres G, Mourad M, Leheste JR. Indoor Air Pollution and Decision-Making Behavior: An Interdisciplinary Review. Cureus 2022; 14:e26247. [PMID: 35911286 PMCID: PMC9313076 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.26247] [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] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The human brain is constantly exposed to air pollutants, some of which might be disruptive or even lethal to certain neurons implicated in abstract features of cognitive function. In this review, we present new evidence from behavioral and neural studies in humans, suggesting a link between indoor fine particulate matter and decision-making behavior. To illustrate this relationship, we use qualitative sources, such as historical documents of the Vietnam War to develop hypotheses of how aerial transmission of pollutants might obstruct alternative choices during the evaluation of policy decisions. We first describe the neural circuits driving decision-making processes by addressing how neurons and their cognate receptors directly evaluate and transduce physical phenomena into sensory perceptions that allow us to decide the best course of action among competing alternatives. We then raise the possibility that indoor air pollutants might also impact cell-signaling systems outside the brain parenchyma to further obstruct the computational analysis of the social environment. We also highlight how particulate matter might be pathologically integrated into the brain to override control of sensory decisions, and thereby perturb selection of choice. These lines of research aim to extend our understanding of how inhalation of airborne particulates and toxicants in smoke, for example, might contribute to cognitive impairment and negative health outcomes.
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13
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Tusche A, Bas LM. Neurocomputational models of altruistic decision-making and social motives: Advances, pitfalls, and future directions. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2021; 12:e1571. [PMID: 34340256 PMCID: PMC9286344 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This article discusses insights from computational models and social neuroscience into motivations, precursors, and mechanisms of altruistic decision-making and other-regard. We introduce theoretical and methodological tools for researchers who wish to adopt a multilevel, computational approach to study behaviors that promote others' welfare. Using examples from recent studies, we outline multiple mental and neural processes relevant to altruism. To this end, we integrate evidence from neuroimaging, psychology, economics, and formalized mathematical models. We introduce basic mechanisms-pertinent to a broad range of value-based decisions-and social emotions and cognitions commonly recruited when our decisions involve other people. Regarding the latter, we discuss how decomposing distinct facets of social processes can advance altruistic models and the development of novel, targeted interventions. We propose that an accelerated synthesis of computational approaches and social neuroscience represents a critical step towards a more comprehensive understanding of altruistic decision-making. We discuss the utility of this approach to study lifespan differences in social preference in late adulthood, a crucial future direction in aging global populations. Finally, we review potential pitfalls and recommendations for researchers interested in applying a computational approach to their research. This article is categorized under: Economics > Interactive Decision-Making Psychology > Emotion and Motivation Neuroscience > Cognition Economics > Individual Decision-Making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Tusche
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Ontario, Kingston, Canada.,Department of Economics, Queen's University, Ontario, Kingston, Canada.,Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Lisa M Bas
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Ontario, Kingston, Canada
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14
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Guttman ZR, Ghahremani DG, Pochon JB, Dean AC, London ED. Age Influences Loss Aversion Through Effects on Posterior Cingulate Cortical Thickness. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:673106. [PMID: 34321994 PMCID: PMC8311492 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.673106] [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: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Decision-making strategies shift during normal aging and can profoundly affect wellbeing. Although overweighing losses compared to gains, termed "loss aversion," plays an important role in choice selection, the age trajectory of this effect and how it may be influenced by associated changes in brain structure remain unclear. We therefore investigated the relationship between age and loss aversion, and tested for its mediation by cortical thinning in brain regions that are susceptible to age-related declines and are implicated in loss aversion - the insular, orbitofrontal, and anterior and posterior cingulate cortices. Healthy participants (n = 106, 17-54 years) performed the Loss Aversion Task. A subgroup (n = 78) provided structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. Loss aversion followed a curvilinear trajectory, declining in young adulthood and increasing in middle-age, and thinning of the posterior cingulate cortex mediated this trajectory. The findings suggest that beyond a threshold in middle adulthood, atrophy of the posterior cingulate cortex influences loss aversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe R. Guttman
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dara G. Ghahremani
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jean-Baptiste Pochon
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Andy C. Dean
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Edythe D. London
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Villalba AA, Stanley JT, Turner JR, Vale MT, Houston ML. Age Differences in Preferences for Fear-Enhancing Vs. Fear-Reducing News in a Disease Outbreak. Front Psychol 2021; 11:589390. [PMID: 33424705 PMCID: PMC7785806 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589390] [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: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Older adults (OA) prefer positive over negative information in a lab setting, compared to young adults (YA; i.e., positivity effects). The extent to which OA avoid negative events or information relevant for their health and safety is not clear. We first investigated age differences in preferences for fear-enhancing vs. fear-reducing news articles during the Ebola Outbreak of 2014. We were able to collect data from 15 YA and 13 OA during this acute health event. Compared to YA, OA were more likely to read the fear-enhancing article, select hand-sanitizer over lip balm, and reported greater fear of Ebola. We further investigated our research question during the COVID-19 pandemic with 164 YA (18-30 years) and 171 OA (60-80 years). Participants responded to an online survey about the COVID-19 pandemic across 13 days during the initial peak of the pandemic in the United States (U.S.). Both YA and OA preferred to read positive over negative news about the coronavirus, but OA were even more likely than YA to prefer the positive news article. No age differences in the fear of contraction were found, but OA engaged in more health-protective behaviors compared to YA. Although OA may not always report greater fear than YA or seek out negative information related to a health concern, they still engage in protective health behaviors. Thus, although positivity effects were observed in attention and emotional reports (in the COVID-19 study), OA still modified their behaviors more than YA (giveaway in both studies, and health-protective behavior change in the COVID-19 study), suggesting that positivity effects did not hamper OA ability to respond to a health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jennifer R Turner
- Department of Psychology, University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States
| | - Michael T Vale
- Department of Psychology, University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States
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