1
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Heckner MK, Cieslik EC, Patil KR, Gell M, Eickhoff SB, Hoffstädter F, Langner R. Predicting executive functioning from functional brain connectivity: network specificity and age effects. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:6495-6507. [PMID: 36635227 PMCID: PMC10233269 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthy aging is associated with altered executive functioning (EF). Earlier studies found age-related differences in EF performance to be partially accounted for by changes in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) within brain networks associated with EF. However, it remains unclear which role RSFC in EF-associated networks plays as a marker for individual differences in EF performance. Here, we investigated to what degree individual abilities across 3 different EF tasks can be predicted from RSFC within EF-related, perceptuo-motor, whole-brain, and random networks separately in young and old adults. Specifically, we were interested if (i) young and old adults differ in predictability depending on network or EF demand level (high vs. low), (ii) an EF-related network outperforms EF-unspecific networks when predicting EF abilities, and (iii) this pattern changes with demand level. Both our uni- and multivariate analysis frameworks analyzing interactions between age × demand level × networks revealed overall low prediction accuracies and a general lack of specificity regarding neurobiological networks for predicting EF abilities. This questions the idea of finding markers for individual EF performance in RSFC patterns and calls for future research replicating the current approach in different task states, brain modalities, different, larger samples, and with more comprehensive behavioral measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa K Heckner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Edna C Cieslik
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kaustubh R Patil
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Martin Gell
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Felix Hoffstädter
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Robert Langner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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2
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Schantell M, Taylor BK, Spooner RK, May PE, O’Neill J, Morsey BM, Wang T, Ideker T, Bares SH, Fox HS, Wilson TW. Epigenetic aging is associated with aberrant neural oscillatory dynamics serving visuospatial processing in people with HIV. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:9818-9831. [PMID: 36534452 PMCID: PMC9831734 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite effective antiretroviral therapy, cognitive impairment and other aging-related comorbidities are more prevalent in people with HIV (PWH) than in the general population. Previous research examining DNA methylation has shown PWH exhibit accelerated biological aging. However, it is unclear how accelerated biological aging may affect neural oscillatory activity in virally suppressed PWH, and more broadly how such aberrant neural activity may impact neuropsychological performance. METHODS In the present study, participants (n = 134) between the ages of 23 - 72 years underwent a neuropsychological assessment, a blood draw to determine biological age via DNA methylation, and a visuospatial processing task during magnetoencephalography (MEG). Our analyses focused on the relationship between biological age and oscillatory theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha (10 - 16 Hz) activity among PWH (n=65) and seronegative controls (n = 69). RESULTS PWH had significantly elevated biological age when controlling for chronological age relative to controls. Biological age was differentially associated with theta oscillations in the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and with alpha oscillations in the right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) among PWH and seronegative controls. Stronger alpha oscillations in the mPFC were associated with lower CD4 nadir and lower current CD4 counts, suggesting such responses were compensatory. Participants who were on combination antiretroviral therapy for longer had weaker theta oscillations in the PCC. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the concept of interactions between biological aging and HIV status on the neural oscillatory dynamics serving visuospatial processing. Future work should elucidate the long-term trajectory and impact of accelerated aging on neural oscillatory dynamics in PWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikki Schantell
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Brittany K. Taylor
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Rachel K. Spooner
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Pamela E. May
- Department of Neurological Sciences, UNMC, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Jennifer O’Neill
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, UNMC, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | | | - Tina Wang
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Trey Ideker
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sara H. Bares
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, UNMC, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Howard S. Fox
- Department of Neurological Sciences, UNMC, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
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3
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Qin S, Basak C. Fitness and arterial stiffness in healthy aging: Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors contribute to altered default mode network patterns during executive function. Neuropsychologia 2022; 172:108269. [PMID: 35595064 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Increases in cardiovascular risks such as high blood pressure and low physical fitness have been independently associated with altered default mode network (DMN) activation patterns in healthy aging. However, cardiovascular risk is a multidimensional health problem. Therefore, we need to investigate multiple cardiovascular risk factors and their contributions to cognition and DMN activations in older adults, which has not yet been done. The current fMRI study examined contributions of two common modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (arterial stiffness and physical fitness) on DMN activations involved during random n-back, a task of executive functioning and working memory, in older adults. The results how that high cardiovascular risk of either increased arterial stiffness or decreased fitness independently contributed to worse task performance and reduced deactivations in two DMN regions: the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices. We then examined not only the potential interaction between the two risk factors, but also their additive (i.e., combined) effect on performance and DMN deactivations. A significant interaction between the two cardiovascular risk factors was observed on performance, with arterial stiffness moderating the relationship between physical fitness and random n-back accuracy. The additive effect of the two factors on task performance was driven by arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness was also found to be the driving factor when the additive effect of the two risk factors was examined on DMN deactivations. However, in posterior cingulate cortex, a hub region of the DMN, the additive effect on its deactivation was significantly higher than the effect of each risk factor alone. These results suggest that the effects of cardiovascular risks on the aging brain are complicated and multi-dimensional, with arterial stiffness moderating or driving the combined effects on performance and anterior DMN deactivations, but physical fitness contributing additional effect to posterior DMN deactivation during executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Qin
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, United States
| | - Chandramallika Basak
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas at Dallas, United States; Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, United States.
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4
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Subramaniapillai S, Rajagopal S, Ankudowich E, Pasvanis S, Misic B, Rajah MN. Age- and Episodic Memory-related Differences in Task-based Functional Connectivity in Women and Men. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1500-1520. [PMID: 35579987 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with episodic memory decline and changes in functional brain connectivity. Understanding whether and how biological sex influences age- and memory performance-related functional connectivity has important theoretical implications for the cognitive neuroscience of memory and aging. Here, we scanned 161 healthy adults between 19 and 76 years of age in an event-related fMRI study of face-location spatial context memory. Adults were scanned while performing easy and difficult versions of the task at both encoding and retrieval. We used multivariate whole-brain partial least squares connectivity to test the hypothesis that there are sex differences in age- and episodic memory performance-related functional connectivity. We examined how individual differences in age and retrieval accuracy correlated with task-related connectivity. We then repeated this analysis after disaggregating the data by self-reported sex. We found that increased encoding and retrieval-related connectivity within the dorsal attention network (DAN), and between DAN and frontoparietal network and visual networks, were positively correlated to retrieval accuracy and negatively correlated with age in both sexes. We also observed sex differences in age- and performance-related functional connectivity: (a) Greater between-networks integration was apparent at both levels of task difficulty in women only, and (b) increased DAN-default mode network connectivity with age was observed in men and was correlated with poorer memory performance. Therefore, the neural correlates of age-related episodic memory decline differ in women and men and have important theoretical and clinical implications for the cognitive neuroscience of memory, aging, and dementia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivaniya Subramaniapillai
- McGill University, Montréal, Quebéc, Canada.,Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Quebéc, Canada
| | | | - Elizabeth Ankudowich
- McGill University, Montréal, Quebéc, Canada.,Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Quebéc, Canada
| | | | - Bratislav Misic
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Quebéc, Canada
| | - M Natasha Rajah
- McGill University, Montréal, Quebéc, Canada.,Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Quebéc, Canada
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5
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More Flexible Brain Activation Underlies Cognitive Reserve in Older Adults. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 113:63-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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6
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Heckner MK, Cieslik EC, Eickhoff SB, Camilleri JA, Hoffstaedter F, Langner R. The Aging Brain and Executive Functions Revisited: Implications from Meta-analytic and Functional-Connectivity Evidence. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:1716-1752. [PMID: 32762523 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Healthy aging is associated with changes in cognitive performance, including executive functions (EFs) and their associated brain activation patterns. However, it has remained unclear which EF-related brain regions are affected consistently, because the results of pertinent neuroimaging studies and earlier meta-analyses vary considerably. We, therefore, conducted new rigorous meta-analyses of published age differences in EF-related brain activity. Out of a larger set of regions associated with EFs, only left inferior frontal junction and left anterior cuneus/precuneus were found to show consistent age differences. To further characterize these two age-sensitive regions, we performed seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) analyses using fMRI data from a large adult sample with a wide age range. We also assessed associations of the two regions' whole-brain RS-FC patterns with age and EF performance. Although our results largely point toward a domain-general role of left inferior frontal junction in EFs, the pattern of individual study contributions to the meta-analytic results suggests process-specific modulations by age. Our analyses further indicate that the left anterior cuneus/precuneus is recruited differently by older (compared with younger) adults during EF tasks, potentially reflecting inefficiencies in switching the attentional focus. Overall, our findings question earlier meta-analytic results and suggest a larger heterogeneity of age-related differences in brain activity associated with EFs. Hence, they encourage future research that pays greater attention to replicability, investigates age-related differences in deactivation, and focuses on more narrowly defined EF subprocesses, combining multiple behavioral assessments with multimodal imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa K Heckner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
| | - Edna C Cieslik
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
| | - Julia A Camilleri
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
| | - Felix Hoffstaedter
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
| | - Robert Langner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
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7
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Rieck JR, Baracchini G, Grady CL. Contributions of Brain Function and Structure to Three Different Domains of Cognitive Control in Normal Aging. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:1811-1832. [PMID: 34375414 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive control involves the flexible allocation of mental resources during goal-directed behavior and comprises three correlated but distinct domains-inhibition, shifting, and working memory. The work of Don Stuss and others has demonstrated that frontal and parietal cortices are crucial to cognitive control, particularly in normal aging, which is characterized by reduced control mechanisms. However, the structure-function relationships specific to each domain and subsequent impact on performance are not well understood. In the current study, we examined both age and individual differences in functional activity associated with core domains of cognitive control in relation to fronto-parietal structure and task performance. Participants (n = 140, aged 20-86 years) completed three fMRI tasks: go/no-go (inhibition), task switching (shifting), and n-back (working memory), in addition to structural and diffusion imaging. All three tasks engaged a common set of fronto-parietal regions; however, the contributions of age, brain structure, and task performance to functional activity were unique to each domain. Aging was associated with differences in functional activity for all tasks, largely in regions outside common fronto-parietal control regions. Shifting and inhibition showed greater contributions of structure to overall decreases in brain activity, suggesting that more intact fronto-parietal structure may serve as a scaffold for efficient functional response. Working memory showed no contribution of structure to functional activity but had strong effects of age and task performance. Together, these results provide a comprehensive and novel examination of the joint contributions of aging, performance, and brain structure to functional activity across multiple domains of cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cheryl L Grady
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest.,University of Toronto
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8
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Pearson AG, Miller KB, Corkery AT, Eisenmann NA, Howery AJ, Carl AE, Eldridge MW, Barnes JN. Impact of age and cyclooxygenase inhibition on the hemodynamic response to acute cognitive challenges. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2021; 321:R208-R219. [PMID: 34161746 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00048.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Structural and functional changes in the cerebral vasculature occur with advancing age, which may lead to impaired neurovascular coupling (NVC) and cognitive decline. Cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition abolishes age-related differences in cerebrovascular reactivity, but it is unclear if COX inhibition impacts NVC. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of aging on NVC before and after COX inhibition. Twenty-three young (age = 25 ± 4 yr) and 21 older (age = 64 ± 5 yr) adults completed two levels of difficulty of the Stroop and n-back tests before and after COX inhibition. Middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAv) was measured using transcranial Doppler ultrasound and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was measured using a finger cuff. Hemodynamic variables were measured at rest and in response to cognitive challenges. During the Stroop test, older adults demonstrated a greater increase in MCAv (young: 2.2 ± 6.8% vs. older: 5.9 ± 5.8%; P = 0.030) and MAP (young: 2.0 ± 4.9% vs. older: 4.8 ± 4.9%; P = 0.036) compared with young adults. There were no age-related differences during the n-back test. COX inhibition reduced MCAv by 30% in young and 26% in older adults (P < 0.001 for both). During COX inhibition, there were no age-related differences in the percent change in MCAv or MAP in response to the cognitive tests. Our results show that older adults require greater increases in MCAv and MAP during a test of executive function compared with young adults and that any age-related differences in NVC were abolished during COX inhibition. Collectively, this suggests that aging is associated with greater NVC necessary to accomplish a cognitive task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Pearson
- Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Kathleen B Miller
- Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Adam T Corkery
- Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Nicole A Eisenmann
- Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Anna J Howery
- Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Alexandra E Carl
- Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Marlowe W Eldridge
- Division of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin.,John Rankin Laboratory of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Jill N Barnes
- Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin
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9
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Wales RM, Leung HC. The Effects of Amyloid and Tau on Functional Network Connectivity in Older Populations. Brain Connect 2021; 11:599-612. [PMID: 33813858 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2020.0902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Neuroimaging studies suggest that aged brains show altered connectivity within and across functional networks. Similar changes in functional network integrity are also linked to the accumulation of pathological proteins in the brain, such as amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles seen in Alzheimer's disease. However, less is known about the specific impacts of amyloid and tau on functional network connectivity in cognitively normal older adults who harbor these proteins. Methods: We briefly summarize recent neuroimaging studies of aging and then thoroughly review positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies measuring the relationship between amyloid-tau pathology and functional connectivity in cognitively normal older individuals. Results: The literature overall suggests that amyloid-positive older individuals show minor cognitive dysfunction and aberrant default mode network connectivity compared with amyloid-negative individuals. Tau, however, is more closely associated with network hypoconnectivity and poorer cognition. Those with substantial amyloid and tau experience even greater cognitive decline compared with those with primarily amyloid or tau, suggesting a potential interaction. Multimodal neuroimaging studies suggest that older adults with pathological protein deposits show amyloid-related hyperconnectivity and tau-related hypoconnectivity in multiple functional networks, including the default mode and frontoparietal networks. Discussion: We propose an updated model considering the effects of amyloid and tau on functional connectivity in older individuals. Large, longitudinal neuroimaging studies with multiple levels of analysis are required to obtain a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between pathological protein accumulation and functional connectivity changes, as amyloid- and tau-induced connectivity alterations may have critical and time-varying effects on neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Impact statement Amyloid and tau accumulation have been linked with altered functional connectivity in cognitively normal older adults. This review synthesized recent functional imaging literatures in a discussion of how amyloid and tau can interactively affect functional connectivity in nonlinear ways, which can explain previous conflicting findings. Changes in connectivity strength may depend on the accumulation of both amyloid and tau, and their integrative effects seem to have critical consequences on cognition. Elucidating the effects of these pathological proteins on brain functioning is paramount to understand the etiology of Alzheimer's disease and the aging process overall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Michael Wales
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Hoi-Chung Leung
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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10
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Maldonado T, Orr JM, Goen JRM, Bernard JA. Age Differences in the Subcomponents of Executive Functioning. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 75:e31-e55. [PMID: 31943092 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Across the life span, deficits in executive functioning (EF) are associated with poor behavioral control and failure to achieve goals. Though EF is often discussed as one broad construct, a prominent model of EF suggests that it is composed of three subdomains: inhibition, set shifting, and updating. These subdomains are seen in both younger (YA) and older adults (OA), with performance deficits across subdomains in OA. Therefore, our goal was to investigate whether subdomains of EF might be differentially affected by age, and how these differences may relate to broader global age differences in EF. METHODS To assess these age differences, we conducted a meta-analysis at multiple levels, including task level, subdomain level, and of global EF. Based on previous work, we hypothesized that there would be overall differences in EF in OA. RESULTS Using 1,268 effect sizes from 401 articles, we found overall differences in EF with age. Results suggested that differences in performance are not uniform, such that variability in age effects emerged at the task level, and updating was not as affected by age as other subdomains. DISCUSSION These findings advance our understanding of age differences in EF, and stand to inform early detection of EF decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted Maldonado
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station
| | - Joseph M Orr
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station.,Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station
| | - James R M Goen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station
| | - Jessica A Bernard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station.,Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station
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11
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Varangis E, Habeck CG, Stern Y. Task-based functional connectivity in aging: How task and connectivity methodology affect discovery of age effects. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01954. [PMID: 33210446 PMCID: PMC7821554 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Past studies have found that healthy aging has a significant effect on the organization and function of networks in the human brain. Many of these studies have examined how functional connectivity during one task or at rest is affected by aging; however, few studies have systematically examined how the effect of age on functional connectivity may vary as a function of choice of in-scanner task. METHODS The present study included healthy adults between the ages of 20 and 80 and examined a variety of metrics of functional connectivity during performance of 11 in-scanner tasks, falling into 4 cognitive domains: vocabulary, processing speed, fluid reasoning, and episodic memory. Functional connectivity was assessed at three levels: average correlations within and between 10 networks, system segregation (sensorimotor vs. association networks), and whole-brain graph theory metrics (global efficiency and modularity). RESULTS Results showed that the effect of age on these metrics differed as a function of task-for example, age had a more consistent effect on functional connectivity metrics computed during fluid reasoning tasks; however, there was less of an effect of age on functional connectivity metrics computed during tasks of episodic memory. Further, some of these measures showed relationships with behavioral performance on the in-scanner task, with different networks playing a role in the different cognitive domains. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that while aging may be generally associated with reductions in within- and between-network connectivity, system segregation, global efficiency, and modularity, the magnitude and presence of these effects varies by in-scanner task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanna Varangis
- Cognitive Neuroscience DivisionDepartment of NeurologyCollege of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Christian G. Habeck
- Cognitive Neuroscience DivisionDepartment of NeurologyCollege of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Cognitive Neuroscience DivisionDepartment of NeurologyCollege of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
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12
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Associations between cognitive and brain volume changes in cognitively normal older adults. Neuroimage 2020; 223:117289. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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13
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Fan F, Liao X, Lei T, Zhao T, Xia M, Men W, Wang Y, Hu M, Liu J, Qin S, Tan S, Gao JH, Dong Q, Tao S, He Y. Development of the default-mode network during childhood and adolescence: A longitudinal resting-state fMRI study. Neuroimage 2020; 226:117581. [PMID: 33221440 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The default-mode network (DMN) is a set of functionally connected regions that play crucial roles in internal cognitive processing. Previous resting-state fMRI studies have demonstrated that the intrinsic functional organization of the DMN undergoes remarkable reconfigurations during childhood and adolescence. However, these studies have mainly focused on cross-sectional designs with small sample sizes, limiting the consistency and interpretations of the findings. Here, we used a large sample of longitudinal resting-state fMRI data comprising 305 typically developing children (6-12 years of age at baseline, 491 scans in total) and graph theoretical approaches to delineate the developmental trajectories of the functional architecture of the DMN. For each child, the DMN was constructed according to a prior parcellation with 32 brain nodes. We showed that the overall connectivity increased in strength from childhood to adolescence and became spatially similar to that in the young adult group (N = 61, 18-28 years of age). These increases were primarily located in the midline structures. Global and local network efficiency in the DMN also increased with age, indicating an enhanced capability in parallel information communication within the brain system. Based on the divergent developmental rates of nodal centrality, we identified three subclusters within the DMN, with the fastest rates in the cluster mainly comprising the anterior medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex. Together, our findings highlight the developmental patterns of the functional architecture in the DMN from childhood to adolescence, which has implications for the understanding of network mechanisms underlying the cognitive development of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengmei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Xuhong Liao
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Tianyuan Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Tengda Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Mingrui Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Weiwei Men
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Beijing City Key Laboratory for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yanpei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Mingming Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shuping Tan
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Jia-Hong Gao
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Beijing City Key Laboratory for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Sha Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Yong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China.
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14
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Qin S, Basak C. Influence of Multiple Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Task-Switching in Older Adults: An fMRI Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:561877. [PMID: 33033477 PMCID: PMC7509111 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.561877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Not only are the effects of cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and low fitness on executive functions and brain activations in older adults scarcely investigated, no fMRI study has investigated the combined effects of multiple risk factors on brain activations in older adults. This fMRI study examined the independent and combined effects of two cardiovascular risk factors, arterial plasticity, and physical fitness, on brain activations during task-switching in older adults. The effects of these two risk factors on age-related differences in activation between older and younger adults were also examined. Independently, low physical fitness and low arterial plasticity were related to reduced suppressions of occipital brain regions. The combined effects of these two risks on occipital regions were greater than the independent effects of either risk factor. Age-related overactivations in frontal cortex were observed in low fitness older adults. Brain-behavior correlation indicates that these frontal overactivations are maladaptive to older adults' task performance. It is possible that the resulting effects of cardiovascular risks on the aging brain, especially the maladaptive overactivations of frontal brain regions by high risk older adults, contribute to often found posterior-anterior shift in aging (PASA) brain activations. Furthermore, observed age-related differences in brain activations during task-switching can be partially attributed to individual differences in cardiovascular risks among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Qin
- Center for Vital Longevity, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Chandramallika Basak
- Center for Vital Longevity, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, United States
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15
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Chen X, Fan X, Hu Y, Zuo C, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Holt D, Gong Q, Yang Y, Pizzagalli DA, Du F, Ongur D. Regional GABA Concentrations Modulate Inter-network Resting-state Functional Connectivity. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:1607-1618. [PMID: 29608677 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Coordinated activity within and differential activity between large-scale neuronal networks such as the default mode network (DMN) and the control network (CN) is a critical feature of brain organization. The CN usually exhibits activations in response to cognitive tasks while the DMN shows deactivations; in addition, activity between the two networks is anti-correlated at rest. To address this issue, we used functional MRI to measure whole-brain BOLD signal during resting-state and task-evoked conditions, and MR spectroscopy (MRS) to quantify GABA and glutamate concentrations, in nodes within the DMN and CN (MPFC and DLPFC, respectively) in 19 healthy individuals at 3 Tesla. We found that GABA concentrations in the MPFC were significantly associated with DMN deactivation during a working memory task and with anti-correlation between DMN and CN at rest and during task performance, while GABA concentrations in the DLPFC weakly modulated DMN-CN anti-correlation in the opposite direction. Highlighting specificity, glutamate played a less significant role related to brain activity. These findings indicate that GABA in the MPFC is potentially involved in orchestrating between-network brain activity at rest and during task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.,Psychotic Disorders Division, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoying Fan
- Psychotic Disorders Division, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Yuzheng Hu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Programs, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chun Zuo
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daphne Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yihong Yang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Programs, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.,Center For Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Fei Du
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.,Psychotic Disorders Division, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Dost Ongur
- Psychotic Disorders Division, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
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16
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Qin S, Basak C. Age-related differences in brain activation during working memory updating: An fMRI study. Neuropsychologia 2020; 138:107335. [PMID: 31923524 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Recent neuroimaging studies have reported an age-related reduction in brain activations in response to working memory load in task-sensitive brain regions. The current fMRI study investigated the age-related differences in brain activations of the updating mechanism in working memory, which was not investigated in previous studies. With a hybrid block/event-related design, this study was able to examine changes in BOLD signals (i.e., neuromodulation) to increase in updating, a type of cognitive control that is understudied. Older adults were separated into young-old and old-old cohorts to examine whether, within healthy aging, the neuromodulation to cognitive control decreases with age. Our results show that younger adults activate left precentral gyrus and right cerebellum more during trials that require updating than trials that do not require updating. Although older adults showed reduced neuromodulation in these two regions, the old-old cohort failed to show any significant neuromodulation in response to updating. Moreover, older adults not only showed reduced suppressions of the default mode network (DMN) regions during the task, they also overactivated some of the DMN regions, esp. the old-old, when compared to the younger adults. Older adults also showed overactivations in a region (right precentral gyrus) that is contralateral to a task-sensitive region that was activated in the younger adults during updating. Brain-behavior correlations suggest that age-related overactivations of these DMN regions and the right precentral gyrus are maladaptive to their performance. Our results suggest that not only the neuromodulation in response to updating demands is diminished in healthy aging, older adults also show maladaptive increases in activations of task-irrelevant regions and reduced hemispheric specificity during updating. These effects are most pronounced in old-old cohort, compared to young-old, suggesting that age-related declines in neuromodulation during cognitive control is more pronounced in older cohorts within healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Qin
- University of Texas at Dallas, TX, 75080, USA
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17
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Ye Z, Zhang G, Li S, Zhang Y, Xiao W, Zhou X, Münte TF. Age differences in the fronto-striato-parietal network underlying serial ordering. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 87:115-124. [PMID: 31918954 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining the ability to arrange thoughts and actions in an appropriate serial order is crucial for complex behavior. We aimed to investigate age differences in the fronto-striato-parietal network underlying serial ordering using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We exposed 25 young and 27 older healthy adults to a digit ordering task, where they had to reorder and recall sequential digits or simply to recall them. We detected a network comprising of the lateral and medial prefrontal, posterior parietal, and striatal regions. In young adults, the prefrontal and parietal regions were more activated and more strongly connected with the supplementary motor area for "reorder & recall" than "pure recall" trials (psychophysiological interaction, PPI). In older adults, the prefrontal and parietal activations were elevated, but the PPI was attenuated. Individual adults who had a stronger PPI performed more accurately in "reorder & recall" trials. The decreased PPI appeared to be compensated by increased physiological correlations between the prefrontal/parietal cortex and the striatum, and by that between the striatum and the supplementary motor area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Ye
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Guanyu Zhang
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuaiqi Li
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yingshuang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Weizhong Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhou
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Thomas F Münte
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
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18
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Mekari S, Dupuy O, Martins R, Evans K, Kimmerly DS, Fraser S, Neyedli HF. The effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on executive function and prefrontal oxygenation in older adults. GeroScience 2019; 41:681-690. [PMID: 31728899 PMCID: PMC6885073 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-019-00128-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reviews on cardiovascular fitness and cognition in older adults suggest that a higher level of cardiorespiratory fitness may protect the brain against the effects of aging. Although studies reveal positive effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on executive function, more research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms of these effects in older adults. The aim of the current study was to assess the association between cardiorespiratory fitness level, cerebral oxygenation, and cognitive performance in older adults (OAs). Seventy-four OAs (68 ± 6.3 years) gave their written, informed consent to participate in the study. Complete data was collected from 66 participants. All participants underwent a cycle ergometer maximal continuous graded exercise test in order to assess their peak power output (PPO) and a neuropsychological paper and pencil tests (Trail Making Test A and B) while changes in left prefrontal cortex oxygenation were measured with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The results reveal increased cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with decreased response time (i.e., better performance) on the Trail Making Test (B) (standardized β = - 0.42, p < 0.05). Cerebral oxygenation in higher fit older adults mediated the relationship with improved executive functioning (standardized β = - 0.08, p < 0.05). Specifically, in older adults with higher cardiorespiratory fitness (based on a median split), cerebral oxygenation was related to executive functioning but no such relationship existed in lower fit adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Said Mekari
- School of Kinesiology, Acadia University, 550 Main Street, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6, Canada.
| | - Olivier Dupuy
- Laboratory MOVE (EA 6314), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Ricardo Martins
- School of Kinesiology, Acadia University, 550 Main Street, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Kailey Evans
- School of Kinesiology, Acadia University, 550 Main Street, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Derek S Kimmerly
- Division of Kinesiology, School of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Health Halifax, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Sarah Fraser
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Heather F Neyedli
- Division of Kinesiology, School of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Health Halifax, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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19
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Brown CA, Schmitt FA, Smith CD, Gold BT. Distinct patterns of default mode and executive control network circuitry contribute to present and future executive function in older adults. Neuroimage 2019; 195:320-332. [PMID: 30953834 PMCID: PMC6536351 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.03.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) performance in older adults has been linked with functional and structural profiles within the executive control network (ECN) and default mode network (DMN), white matter hyperintensities (WMH) burden and levels of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Here, we simultaneously explored the unique contributions of these factors to baseline and longitudinal EF performance in older adults. Thirty-two cognitively normal (CN) older adults underwent neuropsychological testing at baseline and annually for three years. Neuroimaging and AD pathology measures were collected at baseline. Separate linear regression models were used to determine which of these variables predicted composite EF scores at baseline and/or average annual change in composite ΔEF scores over the three-year follow-up period. Results demonstrated that low DMN deactivation, high ECN activation and WMH burden were the main predictors of EF scores at baseline. In contrast, poor DMN and ECN WM microstructure and higher AD pathology predicted greater annual decline in EF scores. Subsequent mediation analysis demonstrated that DMN WM microstructure uniquely mediated the relationship between AD pathology and ΔEF. These results suggest that functional activation patterns within the DMN and ECN and WMHs contribute to baseline EF while structural connectivity within these networks impact longitudinal EF performance in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Brown
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Frederick A Schmitt
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Charles D Smith
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Brian T Gold
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA.
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20
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Abstract
UNLABELLED ABSTRACTBackground:Mind-body interventions have been associated with a range of positive outcomes in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of the present study was to review the impact of different non-pharmacological programs based on mind-body intervention for older adults with MCI. METHODS A comprehensive search method as required by the Cochrane Collaboration has been performed through the following databases: Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL, Cochrane, Ebsco. We included the studies that evaluated the impact of mind-body interventions such as mindfulness or meditation, yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong on cognitive function and everyday functionality of non-hospitalized adults aged 55 years or over with MCI. RESULTS Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Results indicated that mind-body interventions improved cognitive function, everyday activities functioning, and mindfulness, as well as resulting in a moderate reduction in fall risk, depression and stress and lower risk of dementia at one year. CONCLUSION Several mind-body interventions focused broadly on mindfulness, yoga and Tai Chi training have been studied. This review shows that mind-body interventions improved cognitive function and everyday activities functioning, memory, resilience and mindfulness in older adults with MCI. However, the conclusions faced limitations, such as small sample size, heterogeneity of outcome measures, lack of an active control group and absence of long-term follow up. Further high-quality evidence is needed in order to determine whether mind-body interventions are cost-effective for improving cognitive decline in older adults with MCI and for delaying the rapid progression from MCI to Alzheimer or other types of dementia.
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21
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Habak C, Seghier ML, Brûlé J, Fahim MA, Monchi O. Age Affects How Task Difficulty and Complexity Modulate Perceptual Decision-Making. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:28. [PMID: 30881300 PMCID: PMC6405634 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Decisions differ in difficulty and rely on perceptual information that varies in richness (complexity); aging affects cognitive function including decision-making, and yet, the interaction between difficulty and perceptual complexity have rarely been addressed in aging. Using a parametric fMRI modulation analysis and psychophysics, we address how task difficulty affects decision-making when controlling for the complexity of the perceptual context in which decisions are made. Perceptual complexity was varied in a factorial design while participants made perceptual judgments on the spatial frequency of two patches that either shared the same orientation (simple condition) or were orthogonal in orientation (complex condition). Psychophysical thresholds were measured for each participant in each condition and served to set individualized levels of difficulty during scanning. Findings indicate that discriminability interacts with complexity, to influence decisional difficulty. Modulation as a function of difficulty is maintained with age, as indicated by coupling between increased activation in fronto-parietal regions and suppression in the lateral hubs, however, age has a specific effect in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), driven by performance at near-threshold (difficult) levels for the simpler stimulus combination condition, but not the more complex one. Taken together, our findings suggest that the context of difficulty, or what is perceived as important, changes with age, and that decisions that would seem neutral to younger participants, may carry more emphasis with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudine Habak
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Centre de Recherche, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mohamed L. Seghier
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Julie Brûlé
- School of Optometry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mohamed A. Fahim
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Oury Monchi
- Centre de Recherche, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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22
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Varangis E, Razlighi Q, Habeck CG, Fisher Z, Stern Y. Between-network Functional Connectivity Is Modified by Age and Cognitive Task Domain. J Cogn Neurosci 2019; 31:607-622. [PMID: 30605005 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Research on the cognitive neuroscience of aging has identified myriad neurocognitive processes that are affected by the aging process, with a focus on identifying neural correlates of cognitive function in aging. This study aimed to test whether internetwork connectivity among six cognitive networks is sensitive to age-related changes in neural efficiency and cognitive functioning. A factor analytic connectivity approach was used to model network interactions during 11 cognitive tasks grouped into four primary cognitive domains: vocabulary, perceptual speed, fluid reasoning, and episodic memory. Results showed that both age and task domain were related to internetwork connectivity and that some of the connections among the networks were associated with performance on the in-scanner tasks. These findings demonstrate that internetwork connectivity among several cognitive networks is not only affected by aging and task demands but also shows a relationship with task performance. As such, future studies examining internetwork connectivity in aging should consider multiple networks and multiple task conditions to better measure dynamic patterns of network flexibility over the course of cognitive aging.
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23
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Abstract
Healthy aging is associated with numerous deficits in cognitive function, which have been attributed to changes within the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This chapter summarizes some of the most prominent cognitive changes associated with age-related alterations in the anatomy and physiology of the PFC. Specifically, aging of the PFC results in deficient aspects of cognitive control, including sustained attention, selective attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and multitasking abilities. Yet, not all cognitive functions associated with the PFC exhibit age-related declines, such as arithmetic, comprehension, emotion perception, and emotional control. Moreover, not all older adults exhibit declines in cognition. Multiple life-course and lifestyle factors, as well as genetics, play a role in the trajectory of cognitive performance across the life span. Thus many adults retain cognitive function well into advanced age. Moreover, the brain remains plastic throughout life and there is increasing evidence that most age-related declines in cognition can be remediated by various methods such as physical exercise, cognitive training, or noninvasive brain stimulation. Overall, because cognitive aging is associated with numerous life-course and lifestyle factors, successful aging likely begins in early life, while maintaining cognition or remediating declines is a life-long process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore P Zanto
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Neuroscape, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Adam Gazzaley
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Departments of Physiology and Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Neuroscape, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
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24
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Fountain-Zaragoza S, Samimy S, Rosenberg MD, Prakash RS. Connectome-based models predict attentional control in aging adults. Neuroimage 2018; 186:1-13. [PMID: 30394324 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There are well-characterized age-related differences in behavioral and neural responses to tasks of attentional control. However, there is also increasing recognition of individual variability in the process of neurocognitive aging. Using connectome-based predictive modeling, a method for predicting individual-level behaviors from whole-brain functional connectivity, a sustained attention connectome-based prediction model (saCPM) has been derived in young adults. The saCPM consists of two large-scale functional networks: a high-attention network whose strength predicts better attention and a low-attention network whose strength predicts worse attention. Here we examined the generalizability of the saCPM for predicting inhibitory control in an aging sample. Forty-two healthy young adults (n = 21, ages 18-30) and older adults (n = 21, ages 60-80) performed a modified Stroop task, on which older adults exhibited poorer performance, indexed by higher reaction time cost between incongruent and congruent trials. The saCPM generalized to predict reaction time cost across age groups, but did not account for age-related differences in performance. Exploratory analyses were conducted to characterize the effects of age on functional connectivity and behavior. We identified subnetworks of the saCPM that exhibited age-related differences in strength. The strength of two low-attention subnetworks, consisting of frontoparietal, medial frontal, default mode, and motor nodes that were more strongly connected in older adults, mediated the effect of age group on performance. These results support the saCPM's ability to capture attention-related patterns reflected in each individual's functional connectivity signature across both task context and age. However, older and younger adults exhibit functional connectivity differences within components of the saCPM networks, and it is these connections that better account for age-related deficits in attentional control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shaadee Samimy
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, USA
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25
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Gu H, Hu Y, Chen X, He Y, Yang Y. Regional excitation-inhibition balance predicts default-mode network deactivation via functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2018; 185:388-397. [PMID: 30359729 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Deactivation of the default mode network (DMN) is one of the most reliable observations from neuroimaging and has significant implications in development, aging, and various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the neural mechanism underlying DMN deactivation remains elusive. As the coordination of regional neurochemical substrates and interregional neural interactions are both essential in support of brain functions, a quantitative description of how they impact DMN deactivation may provide new insights into the mechanism. Using an n-back working memory task fMRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we probed the pairwise relationship between task-induced deactivation, interregional functional connectivity and regional excitation-inhibition balance (evaluated by glutamate/GABA ratio) in the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCu). Task-induced PCC/PCu deactivation correlated with its excitation-inhibition balance and interregional functional connectivity, where participants with lower glutamate/GABA ratio, stronger intra-DMN connections and stronger antagonistic DMN-SN (salience network)/ECN (executive control network) inter-network connections had greater PCC/PCu deactivation. Mediation analyses revealed that the DMN-SN functional interactions partially mediated the relationship between task-induced deactivation and the excitation-inhibition balance at the PCC/PCu. The triple-relationship discovered in the present study has the potential to bridge DMN-deactivation related findings from various neuroimaging modalities and may provide new insights into the neural mechanism of DMN deactivation. Moreover, this finding may have significant implications for neuropsychiatric disorders related to the DMN dysfunction and suggests an integrated application of pharmacological and neuromodulation-based strategies for rescuing DMN deactivation deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Gu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Programs, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Yuzheng Hu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Programs, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Xi Chen
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Programs, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yihong Yang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Programs, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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26
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Eudave L, Martínez M, Luis EO, Pastor MA. Default-mode network dynamics are restricted during high speed discrimination in healthy aging: Associations with neurocognitive status and simulated driving behavior. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:4196-4212. [PMID: 29962070 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous daily tasks, including car driving, require fine visuospatial tuning. One such visuospatial ability, speed discrimination, declines with aging but its neural underpinnings remain unknown. In this study, we use fMRI to explore the effect of aging during a high speed discrimination task and its neural underpinnings, along with a complete neuropsychological assessment and a simulated driving evaluation in order to examine how they interact with each other through a multivariate regression approach. Beyond confirming that high speed discrimination performance is diminished in the elderly, we found that this deficit might be partly due to a lack of modulation in the activity and connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) in this age group, as well as an over-recruitment of frontoparietal and cerebellar regions, possibly as a compensatory mechanism. In addition, younger adults tended to drive at faster speeds, a behavior that was associated to adequate DMN dynamics and executive functioning, an effect that seems to be lost in the elderly. In summary, these results reveal how age-related declines in fine visuospatial abilities, such as high speed discrimination, were distinctly mediated by DMN functioning, a mechanism also associated to speeding behavior in a driving simulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Eudave
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Neurosciences, Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008, Spain
| | - Martín Martínez
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Neurosciences, Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008, Spain
| | - Elkin O Luis
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Neurosciences, Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008, Spain.,School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María A Pastor
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Division of Neurosciences, Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, 31008, Spain
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27
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Brown CA, Jiang Y, Smith CD, Gold BT. Age and Alzheimer's pathology disrupt default mode network functioning via alterations in white matter microstructure but not hyperintensities. Cortex 2018; 104:58-74. [PMID: 29758374 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) comprises defined brain regions contributing to internally-directed thought processes. Reductions in task-induced deactivation in the DMN have been associated with increasing age and poorer executive task performance, but factors underlying these functional changes remain unclear. We investigated contributions of white matter (WM) microstructure, WM hyperintensities (WMH) and Alzheimer's pathology to age-related alterations in DMN function. Thirty-five cognitively normal older adults and 29 younger adults underwent working memory task fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging. In the older adults, we measured cerebrospinal fluid tau and Aβ42 (markers of AD pathology), and WMH on FLAIR imaging (marker of cerebrovascular disease). We identified a set of regions showing DMN deactivation and a set of inter-connecting WM tracts (DMN-WM) common to both age groups. There were negative associations between DMN deactivation and task performance in older adults, consistent with previous studies. Decreased DMN deactivation was associated with AD pathology and WM microstructure but not with WMH volume. Mediation analyses showed that WM microstructure mediated declines in DMN deactivation associated with both aging and AD pathology. Together these results suggest that AD pathology may exert a "second-hit" on WM microstructure, over-and-above the effects of age, both contributing to diminished DMN deactivation in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yang Jiang
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Charles D Smith
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Brian T Gold
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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28
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Bopp KL, Verhaeghen P. Aging and n-Back Performance: A Meta-Analysis. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2018; 75:229-240. [DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gby024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kara L Bopp
- Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina
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29
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Oei NYL, Jansen SW, Veer IM, Slagboom PE, van de Grond J, van Heemst D. Stress evokes stronger medial posterior cingulate deactivations during emotional distraction in slower paced aging. Biol Psychol 2018; 135:84-92. [PMID: 29505812 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Middle-aged offspring from long-lived families are thought to have a slower pace of aging, possibly related to HPA-axis function. Here, we investigated the neural and behavioral effects of social stress in offspring compared to their regular aging partners on emotional distraction during working memory (WM). METHODS 104 middle-aged participants (53 males) consisting of offspring and their partners underwent the Trier Social Stress Test or a control procedure. Hereafter, a WM task with emotional distracters was performed using fMRI. Saliva cortisol levels were obtained during the procedure. RESULTS Partners had higher overall cortisol levels than offspring. In addition, partners had decreased deactivations compared to offspring in the medial posterior cingulate cortex (mPCC) during emotional distraction, which were significantly correlated with lower accuracy during emotional distraction. DISCUSSION mPCC-deactivations are known to be modulated by chronological aging, with more deactivations in the young than in the old. Here we show the same pattern in familial longevity versus regular aging after mild stress, with more deactivations related to better accuracy during emotional distraction. Functional mPCC deactivations might thus be related to pace of aging, and can be revealed by inducing mild stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Y L Oei
- Department of Developmental Psychology (ADAPT-lab), Institute of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Steffy W Jansen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ilya M Veer
- Division of Mind and Brain Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - P Eline Slagboom
- Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Section Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen van de Grond
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Diana van Heemst
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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30
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Vergallito A, Romero Lauro LJ, Bonandrini R, Zapparoli L, Danelli L, Berlingeri M. What is difficult for you can be easy for me. Effects of increasing individual task demand on prefrontal lateralization: A tDCS study. Neuropsychologia 2018; 109:283-294. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.12.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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31
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Arnemann KL, Stöber F, Narayan S, Rabinovici GD, Jagust WJ. Metabolic brain networks in aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Neuroimage Clin 2017; 17:987-999. [PMID: 29527500 PMCID: PMC5842784 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic brain networks can provide insight into the network processes underlying progression from healthy aging to Alzheimer's disease. We explore the effect of two Alzheimer's disease risk factors, amyloid-β and ApoE ε4 genotype, on metabolic brain networks in cognitively normal older adults (N = 64, ages 69-89) compared to young adults (N = 17, ages 20-30) and patients with Alzheimer's disease (N = 22, ages 69-89). Subjects underwent MRI and PET imaging of metabolism (FDG) and amyloid-β (PIB). Normal older adults were divided into four subgroups based on amyloid-β and ApoE genotype. Metabolic brain networks were constructed cross-sectionally by computing pairwise correlations of metabolism across subjects within each group for 80 regions of interest. We found widespread elevated metabolic correlations and desegregation of metabolic brain networks in normal aging compared to youth and Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that normal aging leads to widespread loss of independent metabolic function across the brain. Amyloid-β and the combination of ApoE ε4 led to less extensive elevated metabolic correlations compared to other normal older adults, as well as a metabolic brain network more similar to youth and Alzheimer's disease. This could reflect early progression towards Alzheimer's disease in these individuals. Altered metabolic brain networks of older adults and those at the highest risk for progression to Alzheimer's disease open up novel lines of inquiry into the metabolic and network processes that underlie normal aging and Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn L Arnemann
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States.
| | - Franziska Stöber
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States; Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany; Clinic for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Sharada Narayan
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Gil D Rabinovici
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States; Memory and Aging Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - William J Jagust
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States; Division of Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
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32
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Woytowicz EJ, Sours C, Gullapalli RP, Rosenberg J, Westlake KP. Modulation of working memory load distinguishes individuals with and without balance impairments following mild traumatic brain injury. Brain Inj 2017; 32:191-199. [PMID: 29182372 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2017.1403045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Balance and gait deficits can persist after mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet an understanding of the underlying neural mechanism remains limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in attention network modulation in patients with and without balance impairments 2-8 weeks following mild TBI. METHODS Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we compared activity and functional connectivity of cognitive brain regions of the default mode, central-executive and salience networks during a 2-back working memory task in participants with mild TBI and balance impairments (n = 7, age 47 ± 15 years) or no balance impairments (n = 7, age 47 ± 15 years). RESULTS We first identified greater activation in the lateral occipital cortex in the balance impaired group. Second, we observed stronger connectivity of left pre-supplementary motor cortex in the balance impaired group during the working memory task, which was related to decreased activation of regions within the salience and central executive networks and greater suppression of the default mode network. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest a link between impaired balance and modulation of cognitive resources in patients in mTBI. Findings also highlight the potential importance of moving beyond traditional balance assessments towards an integrative assessment of cognition and balance in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Woytowicz
- a Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science , University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Chandler Sours
- b Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine , University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Rao P Gullapalli
- b Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine , University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Joseph Rosenberg
- a Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science , University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Kelly P Westlake
- a Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science , University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA
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33
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Arthursson PMSH, Thompson DK, Spencer-Smith M, Chen J, Silk T, Doyle LW, Anderson PJ. Atypical neuronal activation during a spatial working memory task in 13-year-old very preterm children. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:6172-6184. [PMID: 28940977 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Children born very preterm (VP; <32 weeks' gestational age) are at risk for unfavorable outcomes in several cognitive domains, including spatial working memory (WM). The underlying neural basis of these cognitive impairments is poorly understood. We investigated differences in neuronal activation during spatial WM using a backward span (BS) task relative to a control (C) task in 45 VP children and 19 term-born controls aged 13 years. VP children showed significantly more activation in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus and significantly less activation in the left parahippocampal gyrus compared with controls. We further explored the distinct contributions of maintenance and manipulation processes of WM using forward span (FS)>C and BS > FS, respectively. There were no significant group differences in neuronal activation for FS > C. However, BS > FS revealed that VP children had significantly greater activation in the left middle frontal gyrus, in the left superior parietal gyrus and right cerebellar tonsil, and significantly less activation in the right precentral and postcentral gyrus and left insula compared with controls. Taken together these results suggest that VP children at 13 years of age show an atypical neuronal activation during spatial WM, specifically related to manipulation of spatial information in WM. It is unclear whether these findings reflect delayed maturation and/or recruitment of alternative neuronal networks as a result of neuroplasticity. Hum Brain Mapp 38:6172-6184, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia-Maria S H Arthursson
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Deanne K Thompson
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Megan Spencer-Smith
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Jian Chen
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Tim Silk
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Lex W Doyle
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Peter J Anderson
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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Kennedy KM, Boylan MA, Rieck JR, Foster CM, Rodrigue KM. Dynamic range in BOLD modulation: lifespan aging trajectories and association with performance. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 60:153-163. [PMID: 28946019 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Alteration of dynamic range of modulation to cognitive difficulty has been proposed as a salient predictor of cognitive aging. Here, we examine in 171 adults (aged 20-94 years) the effects of age on dynamic modulation of blood oxygenation-level dependent activation to difficulty in parametrically increasing working memory (WM) load (0-, 2-, 3-, and 4-back conditions). First, we examined parametric increases and decreases in activation to increasing WM load (positive modulation effect and negative modulation effect). Second, we examined the effect of age on modulation to difficulty (WM load) to identify regions that differed with age as difficulty increased (age-related positive and negative modulation effects). Weakened modulation to difficulty with age was found in both the positive modulation (middle frontal, superior/inferior parietal) and negative modulation effect (deactivated) regions (insula, cingulate, medial superior frontal, fusiform, and parahippocampal gyri, hippocampus, and lateral occipital cortex). Age-related alterations to positive modulation emerged later in the lifespan than negative modulation. Furthermore, these effects were significantly coupled in that greater upmodulation was associated with lesser downmodulation. Importantly, greater fronto-parietal upmodulation to difficulty and greater downmodulation of deactivated regions were associated with better task accuracy and upmodulation with better WM span measured outside the scanner. These findings suggest that greater dynamic range of modulation of activation to cognitive challenge is in service of current task performance, as well as generalizing to cognitive ability beyond the scanner task, lending support to its utility as a marker of successful cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Kennedy
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Maria A Boylan
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jenny R Rieck
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chris M Foster
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Karen M Rodrigue
- Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
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35
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Dev SI, Moore RC, Soontornniyomkij B, Achim CL, Jeste DV, Eyler LT. Peripheral inflammation related to lower fMRI activation during a working memory task and resting functional connectivity among older adults: a preliminary study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2017; 32:341-349. [PMID: 27094339 PMCID: PMC5071119 DOI: 10.1002/gps.4482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Peripheral inflammation has been associated with adverse effects on cognition and brain structure in late life, a process called 'inflammaging.' Identifying biomarkers of preclinical cognitive decline is critical in the development of preventative therapies, and peripheral inflammation may be able to serve as an indicator of cognitive decline. However, little is known regarding the relationship between peripheral inflammation and brain structure and function among older adults. METHODS Twenty-four older adults (mean age = 78) underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) resting state functional connectivity scan, and a subset (n = 14) completed the n-Back working memory task in the scanner. All participants completed a blood draw, and inflammation was measured with interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP). RESULTS Surprisingly, age was unrelated to measures of inflammation (IL-6, CRP) or brain function (default mode network (DMN) connectivity; working memory performance; blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) activation with higher working memory load). However, lower functional connectivity between the left parietal seed and all other DMN regions was associated with higher levels of IL-6 and CRP. Additionally, greater plasma concentration of IL-6 was associated with lower BOLD activation in the left middle frontal gyrus in response to increased working memory load. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary findings support the importance of IL-6 and CRP in brain function among older adults. Frontal and parietal regions may be particularly sensitive to the effects of inflammation. Additionally, these findings provide preliminary evidence of inflammatory contributions to level of neural activity, even after accounting for vascular risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena I. Dev
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego,San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, California
| | - Raeanne C. Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego,Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California, San Diego, CA,VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California
| | | | | | - Dilip V. Jeste
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego,Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California, San Diego, CA
| | - Lisa T. Eyler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego,Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging, University of California, San Diego, CA,VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California
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36
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Fountain-Zaragoza S, Prakash RS. Mindfulness Training for Healthy Aging: Impact on Attention, Well-Being, and Inflammation. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:11. [PMID: 28217093 PMCID: PMC5289973 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing interest in mindfulness interventions for use in aging samples has been met with promising evidence of cognitive, emotional, and physiological benefits. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the impact of mindfulness training on three areas of functioning in older adults: behavioral and neural correlates of attentional performance, psychological well-being, and systemic inflammation. We have previously proposed that mindfulness training is uniquely suited as a rehabilitative tool for conferring both cognitive and emotional benefits for older adults. Specifically, mindfulness training's promotion of focused attention may mitigate the decline of attentional control abilities across late development and allow older adults to capitalize on their preserved emotion regulation abilities. Existing evidence points to some improvements in facets of attentional control in older adults, although some studies have shown no benefits in performance. Further, there is evidence of enhancements in both psychological and physical aspects of well-being, and accompanying improvements in systemic inflammation, following mindfulness training. The scientific investigation of mindfulness training is still relatively nascent, with only a limited number of studies, particularly randomized controlled trials utilizing active comparison conditions. It will be important for future research to incorporate placebo-controlled comparison groups to clearly establish the causal role of mindfulness practices in promoting holistic health in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruchika Shaurya Prakash
- Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Ohio State University Columbus, OH, USA
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37
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Vermeij A, Kessels RPC, Heskamp L, Simons EMF, Dautzenberg PLJ, Claassen JAHR. Prefrontal activation may predict working-memory training gain in normal aging and mild cognitive impairment. Brain Imaging Behav 2017; 11:141-154. [PMID: 26843001 PMCID: PMC5415588 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9508-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive training has been shown to result in improved behavioral performance in normal aging and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), yet little is known about the neural correlates of cognitive plasticity, or about individual differences in responsiveness to cognitive training. In this study, 21 healthy older adults and 14 patients with MCI received five weeks of adaptive computerized working-memory (WM) training. Before and after training, functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to assess the hemodynamic response in left and right prefrontal cortex during performance of a verbal n-back task with varying levels of WM load. After training, healthy older adults demonstrated decreased prefrontal activation at high WM load, which may indicate increased processing efficiency. Although MCI patients showed improved behavioral performance at low WM load after training, no evidence was found for training-related changes in prefrontal activation. Whole-group analyses showed that a relatively strong hemodynamic response at low WM load was related to worse behavioral performance, while a relatively strong hemodynamic response at high WM load was related to higher training gain. Therefore, a 'youth-like' prefrontal activation pattern at older age may be associated with better behavioral outcome and cognitive plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk Vermeij
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Route 925, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Roy P C Kessels
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Linda Heskamp
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Route 925, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Esther M F Simons
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Route 925, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul L J Dautzenberg
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen A H R Claassen
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Route 925, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Horowitz-Kraus T, Farah R, Hajinazarian A, Eaton K, Rajagopal A, Schmithorst VJ, Altaye M, Vannest JJ, Holland SK. Maturation of Brain Regions Related to the Default Mode Network during Adolescence Facilitates Narrative Comprehension. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 5. [PMID: 32524005 PMCID: PMC7286598 DOI: 10.4172/2375-4494.1000328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Although the Default Mode Network (DMN) has been examined extensively in adults, developmental characteristics of this network during childhood are not fully understood. Methods In this longitudinal study, we characterized the developmental changes in the DMN in fifteen children who were each scanned three times during a narrative comprehension task using magnetic resonance imaging. Results Despite similar brain-activation patterns along developmental ages 5 to 18 years when listening to stories, increased, widely distributed deactivation of the DMN was observed in children between the ages of 11 and 18 years. Our findings suggest that changes occurring with increased age, primarily brain maturation and cognitive development drive deactivation of the DMN, which in turn might facilitate attendance to the task. Conclusions The interpretation of our results is as a possible reference for the typical course of deactivation of the DMN and to explain the impaired patterns in this neural network associated with different language-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion, Israel.,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Communication Sciences Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Rola Farah
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion, Israel
| | - Ardag Hajinazarian
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Communication Sciences Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kenneth Eaton
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Akila Rajagopal
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Vincent J Schmithorst
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mekibib Altaye
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jennifer J Vannest
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Scott K Holland
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Communication Sciences Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Mak LE, Minuzzi L, MacQueen G, Hall G, Kennedy SH, Milev R. The Default Mode Network in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Brain Connect 2017; 7:25-33. [PMID: 27917679 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2016.0438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
When the brain is not engaged in goal-directed activities and at rest, there are still measureable patterns of activity. One resting-state network, the default mode network (DMN) is responsible for a self-referential introspective state. There are many factors that influence normal changes in brain activity. The purpose of this review is to summarize differences in DMN functional connectivity in healthy individuals by age, sex, cognitive function, and analysis type to characterize what is "normal." Studies were systematically selected up to August 2016. Two reviewers independently used predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. Studies that provided sufficient information were included in a subsequent voxel-wise meta-analysis. Strength of DMN functional connectivity follows an inverse U-shape, where it is strongest in adulthood and lowest in children and elderly. Cognitive function is positively correlated with DMN functional connectivity. Females exhibit stronger intranetwork connectivity compared with males. Effects of analysis type were inconclusive and more studies need to incorporate complementing techniques. The voxel-wise meta-analysis was only conducted for the age factor. Findings supported an immature network in children compared with adults and a stronger network in adults compared with elderly. This is the first study to review differences of DMN functional connectivity in healthy individuals by age, sex, cognitive function, and analysis type. Findings add to the understanding of normal variance. Furthermore, defining a normal comparative base may allow for the identification of DMN change into pathology. This is important since it may allow for the detection of an intermediate risk phenotype and could serve as a biomarker for treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Mak
- 1 Center for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University , Kingston, Canada .,2 Department of Psychiatry and Providence Care Mental Health Services, Queen's University , Kingston, Canada
| | - Luciano Minuzzi
- 3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Glenda MacQueen
- 4 University of Calgary Hotchkiss Brain Institute , Calgary, Canada
| | - Geoffrey Hall
- 3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Sidney H Kennedy
- 5 Krembil Research Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University Health Network, University of Toronto , Toronto, Canada
| | - Roumen Milev
- 1 Center for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University , Kingston, Canada .,2 Department of Psychiatry and Providence Care Mental Health Services, Queen's University , Kingston, Canada
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Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Human Connectome Project: Current Status and Relevance to Understanding Psychopathology. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2017; 25:209-217. [PMID: 28816791 PMCID: PMC5644502 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A key tenet of modern psychiatry is that psychiatric disorders arise from abnormalities in brain circuits that support human behavior. Our ability to examine hypotheses around circuit-level abnormalities in psychiatric disorders has been made possible by advances in human neuroimaging technologies. These advances have provided the basis for recent efforts to develop a more complex understanding of the function of brain circuits in health and of their relationship to behavior-providing, in turn, a foundation for our understanding of how disruptions in such circuits contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders. This review focuses on the use of resting-state functional connectivity MRI to assess brain circuits, on the advances generated by the Human Connectome Project, and on how these advances potentially contribute to understanding neural circuit dysfunction in psychopathology. The review gives particular attention to the methods developed by the Human Connectome Project that may be especially relevant to studies of psychopathology; it outlines some of the key findings about what constitutes a brain region; and it highlights new information about the nature and stability of brain circuits. Some of the Human Connectome Project's new findings particularly relevant to psychopathology-about neural circuits and their relationships to behavior-are also presented. The review ends by discussing the extension of Human Connectome Project methods across the lifespan and into manifest illness. Potential treatment implications are also considered.
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41
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Functional dedifferentiation and reduced task-related deactivations underlie the age-related decline of prospective memory. Brain Imaging Behav 2016; 11:1873-1884. [DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9661-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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42
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Amer T, Anderson JA, Campbell KL, Hasher L, Grady CL. Age differences in the neural correlates of distraction regulation: A network interaction approach. Neuroimage 2016; 139:231-239. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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43
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Sugiura M. Functional neuroimaging of normal aging: Declining brain, adapting brain. Ageing Res Rev 2016; 30:61-72. [PMID: 26988858 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2016] [Revised: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Early functional neuroimaging research on normal aging brain has been dominated by the interest in cognitive decline. In this framework the age-related compensatory recruitment of prefrontal cortex, in terms of executive system or reduced lateralization, has been established. Further details on these compensatory mechanisms and the findings reflecting cognitive decline, however, remain the matter of intensive investigations. Studies in another framework where age-related neural alteration is considered adaptation to the environmental change are recently burgeoning and appear largely categorized into three domains. The age-related increase in activation of the sensorimotor network may reflect the alteration of the peripheral sensorimotor systems. The increased susceptibility of the network for the mental-state inference to the socioemotional significance may be explained by the age-related motivational shift due to the altered social perception. The age-related change in activation of the self-referential network may be relevant to the focused positive self-concept of elderly driven by a similar motivational shift. Across the domains, the concept of the self and internal model may provide the theoretical bases of this adaptation framework. These two frameworks complement each other to provide a comprehensive view of the normal aging brain.
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Kato K, Nakamura A, Kato T, Kuratsubo I, Yamagishi M, Iwata K, Ito K. Age-Related Changes in Attentional Control Using an N-Back Working Memory Paradigm. Exp Aging Res 2016; 42:390-402. [DOI: 10.1080/0361073x.2016.1191867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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45
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Matura S, Prvulovic D, Hartmann D, Scheibe M, Sepanski B, Butz M, Oertel-Knöchel V, Knöchel C, Karakaya T, Fußer F, Hattingen E, Pantel J. Age-Related Effects of the Apolipoprotein E Gene on Brain Function. J Alzheimers Dis 2016; 52:317-31. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-150990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Silke Matura
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Institute of General Practice, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - David Prvulovic
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Daniel Hartmann
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Monika Scheibe
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Beate Sepanski
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Marius Butz
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Viola Oertel-Knöchel
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | | | - Tarik Karakaya
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Fabian Fußer
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Elke Hattingen
- Institute of Neuroradiology, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Johannes Pantel
- Institute of General Practice, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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King TZ, Smith KM, Burns TG, Sun B, Shin J, Jones RA, Drossner D, Mahle WT. fMRI investigation of working memory in adolescents with surgically treated congenital heart disease. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-CHILD 2016; 6:7-21. [DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2015.1065185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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47
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Archer JA, Lee A, Qiu A, Chen SHA. A Comprehensive Analysis of Connectivity and Aging Over the Adult Life Span. Brain Connect 2016; 6:169-85. [DOI: 10.1089/brain.2015.0345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jo A. Archer
- Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Annie Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anqi Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Clinical Imaging Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shen-Hsing Annabel Chen
- Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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Huang AS, Klein DN, Leung HC. Load-related brain activation predicts spatial working memory performance in youth aged 9-12 and is associated with executive function at earlier ages. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2015; 17:1-9. [PMID: 26562059 PMCID: PMC4728009 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial working memory load modulates activation in fronto-parietal regions in youth. Performance correlates with load-dependent deactivation in default network regions. Performance correlates with functional coupling between fronto-parietal regions. Executive function scores at age 3, 6 and 9 predict performance and brain activity.
Spatial working memory is a central cognitive process that matures through adolescence in conjunction with major changes in brain function and anatomy. Here we focused on late childhood and early adolescence to more closely examine the neural correlates of performance variability during this important transition period. Using a modified spatial 1-back task with two memory load conditions in an fMRI study, we examined the relationship between load-dependent neural responses and task performance in a sample of 39 youth aged 9–12 years. Our data revealed that between-subject differences in task performance was predicted by load-dependent deactivation in default network regions, including the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Although load-dependent increases in activation in prefrontal and posterior parietal regions were only weakly correlated with performance, increased prefrontal–parietal coupling was associated with better performance. Furthermore, behavioral measures of executive function from as early as age 3 predicted current load-dependent deactivation in vACC and PCC. These findings suggest that both task positive and task negative brain activation during spatial working memory contributed to successful task performance in late childhood/early adolescence. This may serve as a good model for studying executive control deficits in developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Huang
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States
| | - Daniel N Klein
- Clinical Science Program, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States
| | - Hoi-Chung Leung
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States.
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49
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Sours C, Zhuo J, Roys S, Shanmuganathan K, Gullapalli RP. Disruptions in Resting State Functional Connectivity and Cerebral Blood Flow in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Patients. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134019. [PMID: 26241476 PMCID: PMC4524606 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is often occult to conventional imaging techniques. However, there is growing evidence that mTBI patients who lack evidence of structural intracranial injury may develop post-concussive syndrome (PCS). We investigated longitudinal alterations in resting state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in brain networks in a population of 28 patients compared to 28 matched control participants. Rs-FC and cerebral blood flow (CBF) within the nodes of the Default Mode Network (DMN) and Task Positive Network (TPN) were assessed at three time points including acute, sub-acute, and chronic stages following mTBI. Participants received the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) to assess cognitive performance. Main findings indicate that despite normalized cognitive performance, chronic mTBI patients demonstrate increased rs-FC between the DMN and regions associated with the salience network (SN) and TPN compared to the control populations, as well as reduced strength of rs-FC within the DMN at the acute stage of injury. In addition, chronic mTBI patients demonstrate an imbalance in the ratio of CBF between nodes of the DMN and TPN. Furthermore, preliminary exploratory analysis suggests that compared to those without chronic PCS, patients with chronic PCS reveal an imbalance in the ratio of CBF between the DMN nodes and TPN nodes across multiple stages of recovery. Findings suggest that the altered network perfusion with the associated changes in rs-FC may be a possible predictor of which mTBI patients will develop chronic PCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandler Sours
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jiachen Zhuo
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Steven Roys
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kathirkamanthan Shanmuganathan
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Rao P. Gullapalli
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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50
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Daamen M, Bäuml JG, Scheef L, Sorg C, Busch B, Baumann N, Bartmann P, Wolke D, Wohlschläger A, Boecker H. Working memory in preterm-born adults: load-dependent compensatory activity of the posterior default mode network. Hum Brain Mapp 2014; 36:1121-37. [PMID: 25413496 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Premature birth is associated with an increased risk of cognitive performance deficits that are dependent on working memory (WM) load in childhood. Less clear is whether preterm-born adults show similar WM impairments, or develop compensatory brain mechanisms that help to overcome prematurity-related functional deficits, for example, by a workload-dependent over-recruitment of WM-typical areas, and/or engagement of alternative brain networks. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, 73 adults born very preterm and/or with very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and 73 term-born controls (CON, mean age: 26.5 years) performed a verbal N-Back paradigm with varying workload (0-back, 1-back, 2-back). Generally, both groups showed similar performance accuracy and task-typical patterns of brain activations (especially in fronto-cingulo-parietal, thalamic, and cerebellar areas) and deactivations (especially in mesial frontal and parietal aspects of the default mode network [DMN]). However, VP/VLBW adults showed significantly stronger deactivations (P < 0.05, cluster-level corrected) than CON in posterior DMN regions, including right ventral precuneus, and right parahippocampal areas (with adjacent cerebellar areas), which were specific for the most demanding 2-back condition. Consistent with a workload-dependent effect, VP/VLBW adults with stronger deactivations (1-back > 2-back) in the parahippocampal/cerebellar cluster also presented a greater slowing of response latencies with increasing WM load (2-back > 1-back), indicative of higher effort. In conclusion, VP/VLBW adults recruited similar anatomical networks as controls during N-back performance, but showed an enhanced suppression of posterior DMN regions during higher workload, which may reflect a temporary suppression of stimulus-independent thoughts that helps to maintain adequate task performance with increasing attentional demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Daamen
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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