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Lissek S, Schlaffke L, Tegenthoff M. Microstructural properties of attention-related white matter tracts are associated with the renewal effect of extinction. Behav Brain Res 2024; 471:115125. [PMID: 38936425 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The tendency to show the renewal effect of extinction appears as an intra-individually stable, reproducible processing strategy associated with differential patterns of BOLD activation in hippocampus, iFG and vmPFC, as well as differential resting-state functional connectivity between prefrontal regions and the dorsal attention network. Also, pharmacological modulations of the noradrenergic system that influence attentional processing have partially different effects upon individuals with (REN) and without (NoREN) a propensity for renewal. However, it is as yet unknown whether REN and NoREN individuals differ regarding microstructural properties in attention-related white matter (WM) regions, and whether such differences are related to noradrenergic processing. In this diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis we investigated the relation between microstructural properties of attention-related WM tracts and ABA renewal propensity, under conditions of noradrenergic stimulation by means of the noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine, compared to placebo. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was higher in participants with noradrenergic stimulation (ATO) compared to placebo (PLAC), the effect was predominantly left-lateralized and based on the comparison of ATO REN and PLAC REN participants. In REN participants of both treatment groups, FA in several WM tracts showed a positive correlation with the ABA renewal level, suggesting higher renewal levels were associated with higher microstructural integrity. These findings point towards a relation between microstructural properties of attention-related WM tracts and the propensity for renewal that is not specifically dependent on noradrenergic processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Lissek
- Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.
| | - Lara Schlaffke
- Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Tegenthoff
- Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
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2
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Madden DJ, Merenstein JL, Mullin HA, Jain S, Rudolph MD, Cohen JR. Age-related differences in resting-state, task-related, and structural brain connectivity: graph theoretical analyses and visual search performance. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02807-2. [PMID: 38856933 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02807-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research suggests that aging is associated with a decrease in the functional interconnections within and between groups of locally organized brain regions (modules). Further, this age-related decrease in the segregation of modules appears to be more pronounced for a task, relative to a resting state, reflecting the integration of functional modules and attentional allocation necessary to support task performance. Here, using graph-theoretical analyses, we investigated age-related differences in a whole-brain measure of module connectivity, system segregation, for 68 healthy, community-dwelling individuals 18-78 years of age. We obtained resting-state, task-related (visual search), and structural (diffusion-weighted) MRI data. Using a parcellation of modules derived from the participants' resting-state functional MRI data, we demonstrated that the decrease in system segregation from rest to task (i.e., reconfiguration) increased with age, suggesting an age-related increase in the integration of modules required by the attentional demands of visual search. Structural system segregation increased with age, reflecting weaker connectivity both within and between modules. Functional and structural system segregation had qualitatively different influences on age-related decline in visual search performance. Functional system segregation (and reconfiguration) influenced age-related decline in the rate of visual evidence accumulation (drift rate), whereas structural system segregation contributed to age-related slowing of encoding and response processes (nondecision time). The age-related differences in the functional system segregation measures, however, were relatively independent of those associated with structural connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Madden
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3918, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
| | - Jenna L Merenstein
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3918, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Hollie A Mullin
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3918, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Shivangi Jain
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3918, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- AdventHealth Research Institute, Neuroscience Institute, Orlando, FL, 32804, USA
| | - Marc D Rudolph
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
| | - Jessica R Cohen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
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3
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Rogojin A, Gorbet DJ, Hawkins KM, Sergio LE. Differences in structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging underlie visuomotor performance declines in older adults with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 14:1054516. [PMID: 36711200 PMCID: PMC9877535 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1054516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Visuomotor impairments have been demonstrated in preclinical AD in individuals with a positive family history of dementia and APOE e4 carriers. Previous behavioral findings have also reported sex-differences in performance of visuomotor tasks involving a visual feedback reversal. The current study investigated the relationship between grey and white matter changes and non-standard visuomotor performance, as well as the effects of APOE status, family history of dementia, and sex on these brain-behavior relationships. Methods Older adults (n = 49) with no cognitive impairments completed non-standard visuomotor tasks involving a visual feedback reversal, plane-change, or combination of the two. Participants with a family history of dementia or who were APOE e4 carriers were considered at an increased risk for AD. T1-weighted anatomical scans were used to quantify grey matter volume and thickness, and diffusion tensor imaging measures were used to quantify white matter integrity. Results In APOE e4 carriers, grey and white matter structural measures were associated with visuomotor performance. Regression analyses showed that visuomotor deficits were predicted by lower grey matter thickness and volume in areas of the medial temporal lobe previously implicated in visuomotor control (entorhinal and parahippocampal cortices). This finding was replicated in the diffusion data, where regression analyses revealed that lower white matter integrity (lower FA, higher MD, higher RD, higher AxD) was a significant predictor of worse visuomotor performance in the forceps minor, forceps major, cingulum, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and uncinate fasciculus (UF). Some of these tracts overlap with those important for visuomotor integration, namely the forceps minor, forceps major, SLF, IFOF, and ILF. Conclusion These findings suggest that measuring the dysfunction of brain networks underlying visuomotor control in early-stage AD may provide a novel behavioral target for dementia risk detection that is easily accessible, non-invasive, and cost-effective. The results also provide insight into the structural differences in inferior parietal lobule that may underlie previously reported sex-differences in performance of the visual feedback reversal task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alica Rogojin
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada,Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada,Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA) Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Diana J. Gorbet
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada,Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kara M. Hawkins
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lauren E. Sergio
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada,Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada,*Correspondence: Lauren E. Sergio, ✉
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Age-related differences in frontoparietal activation for target and distractor singletons during visual search. Atten Percept Psychophys 2023; 85:749-768. [PMID: 36627473 PMCID: PMC10066832 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-022-02640-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Age-related decline in visual search performance has been associated with different patterns of activation in frontoparietal regions using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), but whether these age-related effects represent specific influences of target and distractor processing is unclear. Therefore, we acquired event-related fMRI data from 68 healthy, community-dwelling adults ages 18-78 years, during both conjunction (T/F target among rotated Ts and Fs) and feature (T/F target among Os) search. Some displays contained a color singleton that could correspond to either the target or a distractor. A diffusion decision analysis indicated age-related increases in sensorimotor response time across all task conditions, but an age-related decrease in the rate of evidence accumulation (drift rate) was specific to conjunction search. Moreover, the color singleton facilitated search performance when occurring as a target and disrupted performance when occurring as a distractor, but only during conjunction search, and these effects were independent of age. The fMRI data indicated that decreased search efficiency for conjunction relative to feature search was evident as widespread frontoparietal activation. Activation within the left insula mediated the age-related decrease in drift rate for conjunction search, whereas this relation in the FEF and parietal cortex was significant only for individuals younger than 30 or 44 years, respectively. Finally, distractor singletons were associated with significant parietal activation, whereas target singletons were associated with significant frontoparietal deactivation, and this latter effect increased with adult age. Age-related differences in frontoparietal activation therefore reflect both the overall efficiency of search and the enhancement from salient targets.
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5
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Structural and functional network mechanisms of rescuing cognitive control in aging. Neuroimage 2022; 262:119547. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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6
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Derbie AY, Chau BKH, Chan CCH. Functional and Structural Architectures of Allocentric and Egocentric Spatial Coding in Aging: A Combined DTI and fMRI Study. Front Neurol 2022; 12:802975. [PMID: 35153982 PMCID: PMC8831882 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.802975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAging disrupts the optimal balance between neural nodes underlying orienting and attention control functions. Previous studies have suggested that age-related changes in cognitive process are associated to the changes in the myelinated fiber bundles, which affected the speed and actions of the signal propagation across different neural networks. However, whether the age-related difference in allocentric and egocentric spatial coding is accounted by the difference in white-matter integrity is unclear. In this study, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we sought to elucidate whether age-related differences in white matter integrity accounts for the difference in nodes to the distributed spatial coding-relevant brain networks.Material and MethodOlder (n = 24) and younger (n = 27) participants completed the structural DTI and fMRI scans during which they engaged in a cue-to-target task to elicit allocentric or egocentric processes.Results and ConclusionEfficient modulation of both allocentric and egocentric spatial coding in fronto-parietal attention network (FPAN) requires structure–function interaction. Allocentric task-modulated connectivity of the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and dorsal attention network (DAN) with the temporal lobe was influenced by the aging differences of the white-matter tracts of the posterior and superior corona radiata (PCR and SCR), respectively. On the other hand, aging difference of the superior longitudinal fasciculus mainly influenced the egocentric-task-modulated connections of the DAN and FPN with frontal regions and posterior cingulate cortex. This study suggested that functional connections of the FPAN with near and far task-relevant nodes vary significantly with age and conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abiot Y. Derbie
- Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Psychology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- *Correspondence: Abiot Y. Derbie
| | - Bolton K. H. Chau
- Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chetwyn C. H. Chan
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Shokri-Kojori E, Bennett IJ, Tomeldan ZA, Krawczyk DC, Rypma B. Estimates of brain age for gray matter and white matter in younger and older adults: Insights into human intelligence. Brain Res 2021; 1763:147431. [PMID: 33737067 PMCID: PMC8428193 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Aging entails a multifaceted complex of changes in macro- and micro-structural properties of human brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) tissues, as well as in intellectual abilities. To better capture tissue-specific brain aging, we combined volume and distribution properties of diffusivity indices to derive subject-specific age scores for each tissue. We compared age-related variance between younger and older adults for GM and WM age scores, and tested whether tissue-specific age scores could explain different effects of aging on fluid (Gf) and crystalized (Gc) intelligence in younger and older adults. Chronological age was strongly associated with GM (R2 = 0.73) and WM (R2 = 0.57) age scores. The GM age score accounted for significantly more variance in chronological age in younger relative to older adults (p < 0.001), whereas the WM age score accounted for significantly more variance in chronological age in older compared to younger adults (p < 0.025). Consistent with existing literature, younger adults outperformed older adults in Gf while older adults outperformed younger adults in Gc. The GM age score was negatively associated with Gf in younger adults (p < 0.02), whereas the WM age score was negatively associated with Gc in older adults (p < 0.02). Our results provide evidence for differences in the effects of age on GM and WM in younger versus older adults that may contribute to age-related differences in Gf and Gc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Shokri-Kojori
- Center for BrainHealth®, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Ilana J Bennett
- Center for BrainHealth®, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Zuri A Tomeldan
- Center for BrainHealth®, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Daniel C Krawczyk
- Center for BrainHealth®, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Bart Rypma
- Center for BrainHealth®, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
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8
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Huizeling E, Wang H, Holland C, Kessler K. Changes in theta and alpha oscillatory signatures of attentional control in older and middle age. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:4314-4337. [PMID: 33949008 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent behavioural research has reported age-related changes in the costs of refocusing attention from a temporal (rapid serial visual presentation) to a spatial (visual search) task. Using magnetoencephalography, we have now compared the neural signatures of attention refocusing between three age groups (19-30, 40-49 and 60+ years) and found differences in task-related modulation and cortical localisation of alpha and theta oscillations. Efficient, faster refocusing in the youngest group compared to both middle age and older groups was reflected in parietal theta effects that were significantly reduced in the older groups. Residual parietal theta activity in older individuals was beneficial to attentional refocusing and could reflect preserved attention mechanisms. Slowed refocusing of attention, especially when a target required consolidation, in the older and middle-aged adults was accompanied by a posterior theta deficit and increased recruitment of frontal (middle-aged and older groups) and temporal (older group only) areas, demonstrating a posterior to anterior processing shift. Theta but not alpha modulation correlated with task performance, suggesting that older adults' stronger and more widely distributed alpha power modulation could reflect decreased neural precision or dedifferentiation but requires further investigation. Our results demonstrate that older adults present with different alpha and theta oscillatory signatures during attentional control, reflecting cognitive decline and, potentially, also different cognitive strategies in an attempt to compensate for decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Huizeling
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Hongfang Wang
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Carol Holland
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Ageing Research, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Klaus Kessler
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
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9
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Wu MT, Tang PF, Tseng WYI, Hsu YC, Chen YJ, Goh JOS, Chou TL, Chang YK, Gau SSF, Lan C. Integrity of the Prefronto-striato-thalamo-prefrontal Loop Predicts Tai Chi Chuan Training Effects on Cognitive Task-switching in Middle-aged and Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 12:602191. [PMID: 33658915 PMCID: PMC7917054 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.602191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise has been shown to improve cognitive task-switching performance in older adults, but the extent of this positive effect varies among individuals. Past research also shows that brain white matter integrity could predict behavioral gains of cognitive and motor learning. Therefore, in this randomized controlled trial (NCT02270320), we examined whether baseline integrity of three target white matter tract groups was predictive of task-switching improvement after 12-week TCC training in middle-aged and older adults. Thirty-eight eligible participants were randomly assigned to a TCC group (n = 19) and a control group (n = 19). Cognitive task-switching and physical performances were collected before and after training. Brain diffusion spectrum MR images were acquired before training and the general fractional anisotropy (GFA) of each target white matter tract group was calculated to indicate baseline white matter integrity of that group. Correlation and regression analyses between these GFAs and post-training task-switching improvement were analyzed using adjusted p-values. After 12 weeks, significant task-switching and physical performance improvements were found only in the TCC group. Moreover, higher baseline GFA of the prefronto-striato-thalamo-prefrontal loop fibers (r = −0.63, p = 0.009), but not of the prefronto-parietal/occipital (r = −0.55, p = 0.026) and callosal (r = −0.35, p = 0.189) fiber groups, was associated with greater reductions of task-switching errors after the TCC training. Multiple regression analysis revealed that baseline GFA of the prefronto-striato-thalamo-prefrontal loop fibers was the only independent white matter integrity predictor of task-switching error reductions after TCC training (β = −0.620, adjusted R2 change = 0.265, p = 0.009). These findings not only highlight the important role of baseline integrity of the prefronto-striatal circuits in influencing the extent of positive cognitive task-switching effects from short-term TCC training, but also implicate that preserving good white matter integrity in the aging process may be crucial in order to gain the best cognitive effects of exercise interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Tien Wu
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Yonghe Cardinal Tien Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Fang Tang
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chin Hsu
- College of Medicine, Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jen Chen
- College of Medicine, Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Joshua O S Goh
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Li Chou
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Kai Chang
- Department of Physical Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching Lan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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10
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Associations between different white matter properties and reward-based performance modulation. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1007-1021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02222-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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11
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Effects of Lifelong Musicianship on White Matter Integrity and Cognitive Brain Reserve. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11010067. [PMID: 33419228 PMCID: PMC7825624 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a significant body of research that has identified specific, high-end cognitive demand activities and lifestyles that may play a role in building cognitive brain reserve, including volume changes in gray matter and white matter, increased structural connectivity, and enhanced categorical perception. While normal aging produces trends of decreasing white matter (WM) integrity, research on cognitive brain reserve suggests that complex sensory–motor activities across the life span may slow down or reverse these trends. Previous research has focused on structural and functional changes to the human brain caused by training and experience in both linguistic (especially bilingualism) and musical domains. The current research uses diffusion tensor imaging to examine the integrity of subcortical white matter fiber tracts in lifelong musicians. Our analysis, using Tortoise and ICBM-81, reveals higher fractional anisotropy, an indicator of greater WM integrity, in aging musicians in bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculi and bilateral uncinate fasciculi. Statistical methods used include Fisher’s method and linear regression analysis. Another unique aspect of this study is the accompanying behavioral performance data for each participant. This is one of the first studies to look specifically at musicianship across the life span and its impact on bilateral WM integrity in aging.
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12
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Huizeling E, Wang H, Holland C, Kessler K. Age-Related Changes in Attentional Refocusing during Simulated Driving. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10080530. [PMID: 32784739 PMCID: PMC7465308 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10080530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently reported that refocusing attention between temporal and spatial tasks becomes more difficult with increasing age, which could impair daily activities such as driving (Callaghan et al., 2017). Here, we investigated the extent to which difficulties in refocusing attention extend to naturalistic settings such as simulated driving. A total of 118 participants in five age groups (18–30; 40–49; 50–59; 60–69; 70–91 years) were compared during continuous simulated driving, where they repeatedly switched from braking due to traffic ahead (a spatially focal yet temporally complex task) to reading a motorway road sign (a spatially more distributed task). Sequential-Task (switching) performance was compared to Single-Task performance (road sign only) to calculate age-related switch-costs. Electroencephalography was recorded in 34 participants (17 in the 18–30 and 17 in the 60+ years groups) to explore age-related changes in the neural oscillatory signatures of refocusing attention while driving. We indeed observed age-related impairments in attentional refocusing, evidenced by increased switch-costs in response times and by deficient modulation of theta and alpha frequencies. Our findings highlight virtual reality (VR) and Neuro-VR as important methodologies for future psychological and gerontological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Huizeling
- Aston Neuroscience Institute, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK;
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK;
- Correspondence: (E.H.); (K.K.)
| | - Hongfang Wang
- Aston Neuroscience Institute, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK;
| | - Carol Holland
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK;
| | - Klaus Kessler
- Aston Neuroscience Institute, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK;
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK;
- Correspondence: (E.H.); (K.K.)
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13
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Rieck JR, Rodrigue KM, Park DC, Kennedy KM. White Matter Microstructure Predicts Focal and Broad Functional Brain Dedifferentiation in Normal Aging. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 32:1536-1549. [PMID: 32286134 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ventral visual cortex exhibits highly organized and selective patterns of functional activity associated with visual processing. However, this specialization decreases in normal aging, with functional responses to different visual stimuli becoming more similar with age, a phenomenon termed "dedifferentiation." The current study tested the hypothesis that age-related degradation of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), a white matter pathway involved in visual perception, could account for dedifferentiation of both localized and distributed brain activity in ventral visual cortex. Participants included 281 adults, ages 20-89 years, from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study who underwent diffusion-weighted imaging to measure white matter diffusivity, as well as fMRI to measure functional selectivity to viewing photographs from different categories (e.g., faces, houses). In general, decreased ILF anisotropy significantly predicted both focal and broad functional dedifferentiation. Specifically, there was a localized effect of structure on function, such that decreased anisotropy in a smaller mid-fusiform region of ILF predicted less selective (i.e., more dedifferentiated) response to viewing faces in a proximal face-responsive region of fusiform. On the other hand, the whole ILF predicted less selective response across broader ventral visual cortex for viewing animate (e.g., human faces, animals) versus inanimate (e.g., houses, chairs) images. This structure-function relationship became weaker with age and was no longer significant after the age of 70 years. These findings indicate that decreased white matter anisotropy is associated with maladaptive differences in proximal brain function and is an important variable to consider when interpreting age differences in functional selectivity.
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Zarkali A, McColgan P, Leyland LA, Lees AJ, Rees G, Weil RS. Fiber-specific white matter reductions in Parkinson hallucinations and visual dysfunction. Neurology 2020; 94:e1525-e1538. [PMID: 32094242 PMCID: PMC7251523 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the microstructural and macrostructural white matter changes that accompany visual hallucinations and low visual performance in Parkinson disease, a risk factor for Parkinson dementia. METHODS We performed fixel-based analysis, a novel technique that provides metrics of specific fiber-bundle populations within a voxel (or fixel). Diffusion MRI data were acquired from patients with Parkinson disease (n = 105, of whom 34 were low visual performers and 19 were hallucinators) and age-matched controls (n = 35). We used whole-brain fixel-based analysis to compare microstructural differences in fiber density (FD), macrostructural differences in fiber bundle cross section (FC), and the combined FD and FC (FDC) metric across all white matter fixels. We then performed a tract-of-interest analysis comparing the most sensitive FDC metric across 11 tracts within the visual system. RESULTS Patients with Parkinson disease hallucinations exhibited macrostructural changes (reduced FC) within the splenium of the corpus callosum and the left posterior thalamic radiation compared to patients without hallucinations. While there were no significant changes in FD, we found large reductions in the combined FDC metric in Parkinson hallucinators within the splenium (>50% reduction compared to nonhallucinators). Patients with Parkinson disease and low visual performance showed widespread microstructural and macrostructural changes within the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, bilateral posterior thalamic radiations, and left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate specific white matter tract degeneration affecting posterior thalamic tracts in patients with Parkinson disease with hallucinations and low visual performance, providing direct mechanistic support for attentional models of visual hallucinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Zarkali
- From the Dementia Research Centre (A.Z., L.-A.L., R.S.W.), Huntington's Disease Centre (P.M.), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (G.R.), and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (G.R., R.S.W.), University College London; and Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies (A.J.L.), London, UK.
| | - Peter McColgan
- From the Dementia Research Centre (A.Z., L.-A.L., R.S.W.), Huntington's Disease Centre (P.M.), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (G.R.), and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (G.R., R.S.W.), University College London; and Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies (A.J.L.), London, UK
| | - Louise-Ann Leyland
- From the Dementia Research Centre (A.Z., L.-A.L., R.S.W.), Huntington's Disease Centre (P.M.), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (G.R.), and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (G.R., R.S.W.), University College London; and Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies (A.J.L.), London, UK
| | - Andrew J Lees
- From the Dementia Research Centre (A.Z., L.-A.L., R.S.W.), Huntington's Disease Centre (P.M.), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (G.R.), and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (G.R., R.S.W.), University College London; and Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies (A.J.L.), London, UK
| | - Geraint Rees
- From the Dementia Research Centre (A.Z., L.-A.L., R.S.W.), Huntington's Disease Centre (P.M.), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (G.R.), and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (G.R., R.S.W.), University College London; and Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies (A.J.L.), London, UK
| | - Rimona S Weil
- From the Dementia Research Centre (A.Z., L.-A.L., R.S.W.), Huntington's Disease Centre (P.M.), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (G.R.), and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (G.R., R.S.W.), University College London; and Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies (A.J.L.), London, UK
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15
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Yaple ZA, Stevens WD, Arsalidou M. Meta-analyses of the n-back working memory task: fMRI evidence of age-related changes in prefrontal cortex involvement across the adult lifespan. Neuroimage 2019; 196:16-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.03.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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16
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Curtin A, Ayaz H, Tang Y, Sun J, Wang J, Tong S. Enhancing neural efficiency of cognitive processing speed via training and neurostimulation: An fNIRS and TMS study. Neuroimage 2019; 198:73-82. [PMID: 31078636 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Speed of Processing (SoP) represents a fundamental limiting step in cognitive performance which may underlie General Intelligence. The measure of SoP is particularly sensitive to aging, neurological or cognitive diseases, and has become a benchmark for diagnosis, cognitive remediation, and enhancement. Neural efficiency of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) is proposed to account for individual differences in SoP. However, the mechanisms by which DLPFC efficiency is shaped by training and whether it can be enhanced remain elusive. To address this, we monitored the brain activity of sixteen healthy participants using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) while practicing a common SoP task (Symbol Digit Substitution Task) across 4 sessions. Furthermore, in each session, participants received counterbalanced excitatory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) during mid-session breaks. Results indicate a significant involvement of the left-DLPFC in SoP, whose neural efficiency is consistently increased through task practice. Active neurostimulation, but not Sham, significantly enhanced the neural efficiency. These findings suggest a common mechanism by which neurostimulation may aid to accelerate learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Curtin
- Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai, China
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Philadelphia, PA, USA; University of Pennsylvania, Department of Family and Community Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Yingying Tang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junfeng Sun
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai, China
| | - Jijun Wang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shanbao Tong
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai, China.
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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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18
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Hanley CJ, Tales A. Anodal tDCS improves attentional control in older adults. Exp Gerontol 2018; 115:88-95. [PMID: 30500351 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2018.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) facilitates cognitive enhancement by directly increasing neuroplasticity, and has shown promising results as an external intervention to attenuate age-related cognitive decline. However, stimulation protocols have failed to account for age-associated changes in brain structure and the present literature omits investigation of attentional control, despite the occurrence of substantial inhibitory processing deficits with age. To provide new insight into the benefits of tDCS, the objective of this study was to develop an age-optimised stimulation protocol in which key parameters (amplitude, duration, and electrode configuration) were selected in accordance with knowledge of stimulation effects, specific to the ageing brain. Participants (mean age 66.5 years) completed three sessions of double-blind, anodal or sham stimulation, in conjunction with a novel task switching paradigm, which was designed to reflect the complexities of simultaneously monitoring and updating stimulus representations. The results show that those who had anodal tDCS exhibited an acute, post-stimulation increase in task switching speed (p < .01, d = 1.36). Although the sham group was subject to the same task exposure, only the anodal stimulation group experienced a performance gain, thus emphasising the efficacy of active brain stimulation. For the first time, this study demonstrates the utility of stimulation protocols tailored specifically for use with older adults, targeted towards the modulation of attentional control. This finding has critical implications for cognitive health and encourages the use of age-optimised tDCS as a viable method for enhancing executive function in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire J Hanley
- Department of Psychology, College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, UK.
| | - Andrea Tales
- The Centre for Innovative Ageing, College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, UK
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Sweitzer MM, Kollins SH, Kozink RV, Hallyburton M, English J, Addicott MA, Oliver JA, McClernon FJ. ADHD, Smoking Withdrawal, and Inhibitory Control: Results of a Neuroimaging Study with Methylphenidate Challenge. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:851-858. [PMID: 29052617 PMCID: PMC5809794 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Smoking withdrawal negatively impacts inhibitory control, and these effects are greater for smokers with preexisting attention problems, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The current study preliminarily evaluated changes in inhibitory control-related behavior and brain activation during smoking withdrawal among smokers with ADHD. Moreover, we investigated the role of catecholamine transmission in these changes by examining the effects of 40 mg methylphenidate (MPH) administration. Adult daily smokers with (n=17) and without (n=20) ADHD completed fMRI scanning under each of three conditions: (a) smoking as usual+placebo; (b) 24 h smoking abstinence+placebo and (c) 24 h smoking abstinence+MPH. Scan order was randomized and counterbalanced. Participants completed a modified Go/No-Go task to assess both sustained and transient inhibitory control. Voxelwise analysis of task-related BOLD signal revealed a significant group-by-abstinence interaction in occipital/parietal cortex during sustained inhibition, with greater abstinence-induced decreases in activation observed among ADHD smokers compared with non-ADHD smokers. Changes in behavioral performance during abstinence were associated with changes in activation in regions of occipital and parietal cortex and bilateral insula during sustained inhibition in both groups. MPH administration improved behavioral performance and increased sustained inhibitory control-related activation for both groups. During transient inhibition, MPH increased prefrontal activation for both groups and increased striatal activation only among ADHD smokers. These preliminary findings suggest that abstinence-induced changes in catecholamine transmission in visual attention areas (eg, occipital and superior parietal cortex) may be associated with inhibitory control deficits and contribute to smoking vulnerability among individuals with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie M Sweitzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, 2608 Erwin Road., Suite 300, Durham, NC 27710, USA, Tel: +1 919 668 0094, Fax: +1 919 681 0016, E-mail:
| | - Scott H Kollins
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rachel V Kozink
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matt Hallyburton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joseph English
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Merideth A Addicott
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jason A Oliver
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - F Joseph McClernon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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Taghdiri F, Chung J, Irwin S, Multani N, Tarazi A, Ebraheem A, Khodadadi M, Goswami R, Wennberg R, Mikulis D, Green R, Davis K, Tator C, Eizenman M, Tartaglia MC. Decreased Number of Self-Paced Saccades in Post-Concussion Syndrome Associated with Higher Symptom Burden and Reduced White Matter Integrity. J Neurotrauma 2018; 35:719-729. [DOI: 10.1089/neu.2017.5274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Foad Taghdiri
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan Chung
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samantha Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Namita Multani
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Apameh Tarazi
- Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ahmed Ebraheem
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mozghan Khodadadi
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruma Goswami
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard Wennberg
- Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Mikulis
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neuroradiology, Joint Department of Medical Imaging, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robin Green
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen Davis
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles Tator
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Moshe Eizenman
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Sharma K, Trivedi R, Chandra S, Kaur P, Kumar P, Singh K, Dubey AK, Khushu S. Enhanced White Matter Integrity in Corpus Callosum of Long-Term Brahmakumaris Rajayoga Meditators. Brain Connect 2017; 8:49-55. [PMID: 29065696 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2017.0524] [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] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Meditation has a versatile nature to affect cognitive functioning of human brain. Recent researches demonstrated its effects on white matter (WM) properties of human brain. In this research, we aim to investigate WM microstructure of corpus callosum (CC) in long-term meditators (LTMs) of rajayoga meditation using diffusion tensor imaging. For this cross-sectional analysis, 22 LTMs and 17 control participants of age ranging from 30 to 50 years were recruited. Results show high fractional anisotropy values with low mean diffusivity in whole as well as different segments of CC in the LTM group. Also the experience of meditation was correlated with WM properties of CC tracts. Findings may suggest rajayoga meditation to bring potential changes in microstructure of CC segments. Further studies are suggested in clinical population to check its validity and efficacy against disorders involving agenesis of WM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanishka Sharma
- 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (INMAS) , Defence R&D Organization, Timarpur, Delhi, India .,2 Division of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Dwarka, Delhi, India
| | - Richa Trivedi
- 3 Division of NMR, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (INMAS) , Defence R&D Organization, Timarpur, Delhi, India
| | - Sushil Chandra
- 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (INMAS) , Defence R&D Organization, Timarpur, Delhi, India
| | - Prabhjot Kaur
- 3 Division of NMR, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (INMAS) , Defence R&D Organization, Timarpur, Delhi, India
| | - Pawan Kumar
- 3 Division of NMR, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (INMAS) , Defence R&D Organization, Timarpur, Delhi, India
| | - Kavita Singh
- 3 Division of NMR, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (INMAS) , Defence R&D Organization, Timarpur, Delhi, India
| | - Ashok K Dubey
- 2 Division of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Dwarka, Delhi, India
| | - Subash Khushu
- 3 Division of NMR, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (INMAS) , Defence R&D Organization, Timarpur, Delhi, India
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Correlating quantitative tractography at 3T MRI and cognitive tests in healthy older adults. Brain Imaging Behav 2017; 10:1223-1230. [PMID: 26650629 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-015-9495-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This study used diffusion tensor imaging tractography at 3 T MRI to relate cognitive function to white matter tracts in the brain. Brain T2 fluid attenuated inversion recovery-weighted and diffusion tensor 3 T MRI scans were acquired in thirty-three healthy participants without mild cognitive impairment or dementia. They completed a battery of neuropsychological tests including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Stroop test, Trail Making Test B, Wechsler Memory Scale-III Longest span forward, Wechsler Memory Scale-III Longest span backward, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, California Verbal Learning Test Version II Long Delay Free Recall, and Letter Number Sequencing. Tractography was generated by the Fiber Assignment by Continuous Tracking method. The corpus callosum, cingulum, long association fibers, corticospinal/bulbar tracts, thalamic projection fibers, superior cerebellar peduncle, middle cerebellar peduncle and inferior cerebellar peduncle were manually segmented. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of these tracts were quantified. We studied the association between cognitive test scores and the MD and FA of tracts while controlling for age and total white matter hyperintensities volume. Worse scores on the Stroop test was associated with decreased FA of the corpus callosum, corticospinal/bulbar tract, and thalamic projection tracts. Scores on the other cognitive tests were not associated with either the FA or MD of measured tracts. In healthy persons the Stroop test appears to be a better predictor of the microstructural integrity of white matter tracts measured by DTI tractography than other cognitive tests.
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Atkinson J. The Davida Teller Award Lecture, 2016: Visual Brain Development: A review of "Dorsal Stream Vulnerability"-motion, mathematics, amblyopia, actions, and attention. J Vis 2017; 17:26. [PMID: 28362900 PMCID: PMC5381328 DOI: 10.1167/17.3.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in the Visual Development Unit on "dorsal stream vulnerability' (DSV) arose from research in two somewhat different areas. In the first, using cortical milestones for local and global processing from our neurobiological model, we identified cerebral visual impairment in infants in the first year of life. In the second, using photo/videorefraction in population refractive screening programs, we showed that infant spectacle wear could reduce the incidence of strabismus and amblyopia, but many preschool children, who had been significantly hyperopic earlier, showed visuo-motor and attentional deficits. This led us to compare developing dorsal and ventral streams, using sensitivity to global motion and form as signatures, finding deficits in motion sensitivity relative to form in children with Williams syndrome, or perinatal brain injury in hemiplegia or preterm birth. Later research showed that this "DSV" was common across many disorders, both genetic and acquired, from autism to amblyopia. Here, we extend DSV to be a cluster of problems, common to many disorders, including poor motion sensitivity, visuo-motor spatial integration for planning actions, attention, and number skills. In current research, we find that individual differences in motion coherence sensitivity in typically developing children are correlated with MRI measures of area variations in parietal lobe, fractional anisotropy (from TBSS) of the superior longitudinal fasciculus, and performance on tasks of mathematics and visuo-motor integration. These findings suggest that individual differences in motion sensitivity reflect decision making and attentional control rather than integration in MT/V5 or V3A. Its neural underpinnings may be related to Duncan's "multiple-demand" (MD) system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janette Atkinson
- University College London, London, ://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=JATKI15
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Callaghan E, Holland C, Kessler K. Age-Related Changes in the Ability to Switch between Temporal and Spatial Attention. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:28. [PMID: 28261088 PMCID: PMC5306139 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Identifying age-related changes in cognition that contribute towards reduced driving performance is important for the development of interventions to improve older adults' driving and prolong the time that they can continue to drive. While driving, one is often required to switch from attending to events changing in time, to distribute attention spatially. Although there is extensive research into both spatial attention and temporal attention and how these change with age, the literature on switching between these modalities of attention is limited within any age group. Methods: Age groups (21-30, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+ years) were compared on their ability to switch between detecting a target in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) stream and detecting a target in a visual search display. To manipulate the cost of switching, the target in the RSVP stream was either the first item in the stream (Target 1st), towards the end of the stream (Target Mid), or absent from the stream (Distractor Only). Visual search response times and accuracy were recorded. Target 1st trials behaved as no-switch trials, as attending to the remaining stream was not necessary. Target Mid and Distractor Only trials behaved as switch trials, as attending to the stream to the end was required. Results: Visual search response times (RTs) were longer on "Target Mid" and "Distractor Only" trials in comparison to "Target 1st" trials, reflecting switch-costs. Larger switch-costs were found in both the 40-49 and 60-69 years group in comparison to the 21-30 years group when switching from the Target Mid condition. Discussion: Findings warrant further exploration as to whether there are age-related changes in the ability to switch between these modalities of attention while driving. If older adults display poor performance when switching between temporal and spatial attention while driving, then the development of an intervention to preserve and improve this ability would be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Callaghan
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston UniversityBirmingham, UK; Aston Brain Centre, Aston UniversityBirmingham, UK
| | - Carol Holland
- Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University Birmingham, UK
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Braddick O, Atkinson J, Akshoomoff N, Newman E, Curley LB, Gonzalez MR, Brown T, Dale A, Jernigan T. Individual differences in children's global motion sensitivity correlate with TBSS-based measures of the superior longitudinal fasciculus. Vision Res 2016; 141:145-156. [PMID: 27793590 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2016.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Reduced global motion sensitivity, relative to global static form sensitivity, has been found in children with many neurodevelopmental disorders, leading to the "dorsal stream vulnerability" hypothesis (Braddick et al., 2003). Individual differences in typically developing children's global motion thresholds have been shown to be associated with variations in specific parietal cortical areas (Braddick et al., 2016). Here, in 125 children aged 5-12years, we relate individual differences in global motion and form coherence thresholds to fractional anisotropy (FA) in the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), a major fibre tract communicating between parietal lobe and anterior cortical areas. We find a positive correlation between FA of the right SLF and individual children's sensitivity to global motion coherence, while FA of the left SLF shows a negative correlation. Further analysis of parietal cortical area data shows that this is also asymmetrical, showing a stronger association with global motion sensitivity in the left hemisphere. None of these associations hold for an analogous measure of global form sensitivity. We conclude that a complex pattern of structural asymmetry, including the parietal lobe and the superior longitudinal fasciculus, is specifically linked to the development of sensitivity to global visual motion. This pattern suggests that individual differences in motion sensitivity are primarily linked to parietal brain areas interacting with frontal systems in making decisions on integrated motion signals, rather than in the extra-striate visual areas that perform the initial integration. The basis of motion processing deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders may depend on these same structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Braddick
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK.
| | - Janette Atkinson
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK; Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, UK
| | - Natacha Akshoomoff
- Center for Human Development, University of California San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Erik Newman
- Center for Human Development, University of California San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lauren B Curley
- Center for Human Development, University of California San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marybel Robledo Gonzalez
- Center for Human Development, University of California San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Timothy Brown
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anders Dale
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Terry Jernigan
- Center for Human Development, University of California San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Erel H, Levy DA. Orienting of visual attention in aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 69:357-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2015] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Kemerdere R, de Champfleur NM, Deverdun J, Cochereau J, Moritz-Gasser S, Herbet G, Duffau H. Role of the left frontal aslant tract in stuttering: a brain stimulation and tractographic study. J Neurol 2015; 263:157-67. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-015-7949-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 10/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Neural synchrony indexes impaired motor slowing after errors and novelty following white matter damage. Neurobiol Aging 2015; 38:205-213. [PMID: 26563990 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In humans, action errors and perceptual novelty elicit activity in a shared frontostriatal brain network, allowing them to adapt their ongoing behavior to such unexpected action outcomes. Healthy and pathologic aging reduces the integrity of white matter pathways that connect individual hubs of such networks and can impair the associated cognitive functions. Here, we investigated whether structural disconnection within this network because of small-vessel disease impairs the neural processes that subserve motor slowing after errors and novelty (post-error slowing, PES; post-novel slowing, PNS). Participants with intact frontostriatal circuitry showed increased right-lateralized beta-band (12-24 Hz) synchrony between frontocentral and frontolateral electrode sites in the electroencephalogram after errors and novelty, indexing increased neural communication. Importantly, this synchrony correlated with PES and PNS across participants. Furthermore, such synchrony was reduced in participants with frontostriatal white matter damage, in line with reduced PES and PNS. The results demonstrate that behavioral change after errors and novelty result from coordinated neural activity across a frontostriatal brain network and that such cognitive control is impaired by reduced white matter integrity.
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Murray AL, Thompson DK, Pascoe L, Leemans A, Inder TE, Doyle LW, Anderson JFI, Anderson PJ. White matter abnormalities and impaired attention abilities in children born very preterm. Neuroimage 2015; 124:75-84. [PMID: 26318524 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
While attention impairments are commonly observed in very preterm (<32weeks' gestational age) children, neuroanatomical correlates of these difficulties are unclear. We aimed to determine whether the microstructural organization of key white matter tracts thought to be involved in attention (cingulum bundle, superior longitudinal fasciculi, reticular activating system, and corpus callosum) were altered in very preterm children compared with term-born controls. We also aimed to determine whether alterations in microstructural organization of these tracts were associated with attention functioning in very preterm children. One hundred and forty-nine very preterm children and 36 term-born controls underwent neuroimaging and assessment of their attention abilities at 7years. Constrained spherical deconvolution and probabilistic tractography was used to identify the key white matter tracts. Altered microstructural organization and reduced tract volume within reticular activating system and corpus callosum were found in the very preterm group compared with the control group. Diffusion and volume changes in the cingulum bundle, superior longitudinal fasciculi, reticular activating system, and corpus callosum were related to variations in attention functioning in the very preterm children. These findings emphasize that white matter tract integrity is associated with later attentional abilities in very preterm children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L Murray
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Deanne K Thompson
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Leona Pascoe
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alexander Leemans
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Terrie E Inder
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lex W Doyle
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Research Office, The Royal Women's Hospital, Grattan Street, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jacqueline F I Anderson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychology, The Alfred, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Peter J Anderson
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
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Hong Z, Ng KK, Sim SKY, Ngeow MY, Zheng H, Lo JC, Chee MWL, Zhou J. Differential age-dependent associations of gray matter volume and white matter integrity with processing speed in healthy older adults. Neuroimage 2015; 123:42-50. [PMID: 26302672 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Slower processing speed (PS), a highly robust feature of cognitive aging, is associated with white matter (WM) deterioration and gray matter volume (GMV) loss. Traditional linear regression models assume a constant relationship between brain structure and cognition over time. To probe for variation in the association between WM and GMV and PS over time, we used a novel sparse varying coefficient model on data collected from 126 relatively healthy older adults (67 females, aged 58-85years) evaluated with MRI and a standardized neuropsychological test-battery. We found that WM microstructural differences indexed by fractional anisotropy values in the fronto-striatal tracts (internal and external capsule) showed a stronger association with PS before the age of 70years. Contrastingly, GMV values of the left putamen and middle occipital gyrus were more strongly correlated with PS after 70years. Additionally, within GM and WM compartments, there was heterogeneity in the temporal sequence in which different cortical and subcortical elements were most strongly associated with PS. Together, these observations provide a more nuanced account of the relationships between different structural components of the aging brain and processing speed, a key cognitive domain affected in relatively healthy older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoping Hong
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Kwun Kei Ng
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Sam K Y Sim
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Mei Yi Ngeow
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Hui Zheng
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - June C Lo
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Michael W L Chee
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Juan Zhou
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore; Clinical Imaging Research Centre, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research and National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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31
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Port NL, Trimberger J, Hitzeman S, Redick B, Beckerman S. Micro and regular saccades across the lifespan during a visual search of "Where's Waldo" puzzles. Vision Res 2015; 118:144-57. [PMID: 26049037 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2015.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite the fact that different aspects of visual-motor control mature at different rates and aging is associated with declines in both sensory and motor function, little is known about the relationship between microsaccades and either development or aging. Using a sample of 343 individuals ranging in age from 4 to 66 and a task that has been shown to elicit a high frequency of microsaccades (solving Where's Waldo puzzles), we explored microsaccade frequency and kinematics (main sequence curves) as a function of age. Taking advantage of the large size of our dataset (183,893 saccades), we also address (a) the saccade amplitude limit at which video eye trackers are able to accurately measure microsaccades and (b) the degree and consistency of saccade kinematics at varying amplitudes and directions. Using a modification of the Engbert-Mergenthaler saccade detector, we found that even the smallest amplitude movements (0.25-0.5°) demonstrate basic saccade kinematics. With regard to development and aging, both microsaccade and regular saccade frequency exhibited a very small increase across the life span. Visual search ability, as per many other aspects of visual performance, exhibited a U-shaped function over the lifespan. Finally, both large horizontal and moderate vertical directional biases were detected for all saccade sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas L Port
- School of Optometry, Indiana University, 800 E Atwater Ave, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, United States.
| | - Jane Trimberger
- School of Optometry, Indiana University, 800 E Atwater Ave, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Illinois College of Optometry, 3241 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
| | - Steve Hitzeman
- School of Optometry, Indiana University, 800 E Atwater Ave, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Bryan Redick
- School of Optometry, Indiana University, 800 E Atwater Ave, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Stephen Beckerman
- Illinois College of Optometry, 3241 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
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Espeseth T, Vangkilde SA, Petersen A, Dyrholm M, Westlye LT. TVA-based assessment of attentional capacities-associations with age and indices of brain white matter microstructure. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1177. [PMID: 25374549 PMCID: PMC4204453 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 09/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study the primary aims were to characterize the effects of age on basic components of visual attention derived from assessments based on a theory of visual attention (TVA) in 325 healthy volunteers covering the adult lifespan (19-81 years). Furthermore, we aimed to investigate how age-related differences on TVA parameters are associated with white matter (WM) microstructure as indexed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Finally, we explored how TVA parameter estimates were associated with complex, or multicomponent indices of processing speed (Digit-symbol substitution, DSS) and fluid intelligence (gF). The results indicated that the TVA parameters for visual short-term memory capacity, K, and for attentional selectivity, α, were most strongly associated with age before the age of 50. However, in this age range, it was the parameter for processing speed, C, that was most clearly associated with DTI indices, in this case fractional anisotropy (FA), particularly in the genu and body of the corpus callosum. Furthermore, differences in the C parameter partially mediated differences in DSS within this age range. After the age of 50, the TVA parameter for the perceptual threshold, t 0, as well as K, were most strongly related to participant age. Both parameters, but t 0 more strongly so than K, were associated WM diffusivity, particularly in projection fibers such as the internal capsule, the sagittal stratum, and the corona radiata. Within this age range, t 0 partially mediated age-related differences in gF. The results are consistent with, and provide novel empirical support for the neuroanatomical localization of TVA computations as outlined in the neuronal interpretation of TVA (NTVA). Furthermore, the results indicate that to understand the biological sources of age-related changes in processing speed and fluid cognition, it may be useful to employ methods that allow for computational fractionation of these multicomponent measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Espeseth
- Department of Psychology, University of OsloOslo, Norway
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), and KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOslo, Norway
| | - Signe A. Vangkilde
- Department of Psychology, Center for Visual Cognition, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders Petersen
- Department of Psychology, Center for Visual Cognition, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Dyrholm
- Department of Psychology, Center for Visual Cognition, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars T. Westlye
- Department of Psychology, University of OsloOslo, Norway
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), and KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOslo, Norway
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33
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Kinoshita M, de Champfleur NM, Deverdun J, Moritz-Gasser S, Herbet G, Duffau H. Role of fronto-striatal tract and frontal aslant tract in movement and speech: an axonal mapping study. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 220:3399-412. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0863-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Johnson MA, Diaz MT, Madden DJ. Global versus tract-specific components of cerebral white matter integrity: relation to adult age and perceptual-motor speed. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 220:2705-20. [PMID: 24972959 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0822-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although age-related differences in white matter have been well documented, the degree to which regional, tract-specific effects can be distinguished from global, brain-general effects is not yet clear. Similarly, the manner in which global and regional differences in white matter integrity contribute to age-related differences in cognition has not been well established. To address these issues, we analyzed diffusion tensor imaging measures from 52 younger adults (18-28) and 64 older adults (60-85). We conducted principal component analysis on each diffusion measure, using data from eight individual tracts. Two components were observed for fractional anisotropy: the first comprised high loadings from the superior longitudinal fasciculi and corticospinal tracts, and the second comprised high loadings from the optic radiations. In contrast, variation in axial, radial, and mean diffusivities yielded a single-component solution in each case, with high loadings from most or all tracts. For fractional anisotropy, the complementary results of multiple components and variability in component loadings across tracts suggest regional variation. However, for the diffusivity indices, the single component with high loadings from most or all of the tracts suggests primarily global, brain-general variation. Further analyses indicated that age was a significant mediator of the relation between each component and perceptual-motor speed. These data suggest that individual differences in white matter integrity and their relation to age-related differences in perceptual-motor speed represent influences that are beyond the level of individual tracts, but the extent to which regional or global effects predominate may differ between anisotropy and diffusivity measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah A Johnson
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
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Verghese A, Kolbe SC, Anderson AJ, Egan GF, Vidyasagar TR. Functional size of human visual area V1: a neural correlate of top-down attention. Neuroimage 2014; 93 Pt 1:47-52. [PMID: 24583254 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Revised: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Heavy demands are placed on the brain's attentional capacity when selecting a target item in a cluttered visual scene, or when reading. It is widely accepted that such attentional selection is mediated by top-down signals from higher cortical areas to early visual areas such as the primary visual cortex (V1). Further, it has also been reported that there is considerable variation in the surface area of V1. This variation may impact on either the number or specificity of attentional feedback signals and, thereby, the efficiency of attentional mechanisms. In this study, we investigated whether individual differences between humans performing attention-demanding tasks can be related to the functional area of V1. We found that those with a larger representation in V1 of the central 12° of the visual field as measured using BOLD signals from fMRI were able to perform a serial search task at a faster rate. In line with recent suggestions of the vital role of visuo-spatial attention in reading, the speed of reading showed a strong positive correlation with the speed of visual search, although it showed little correlation with the size of V1. The results support the idea that the functional size of the primary visual cortex is an important determinant of the efficiency of selective spatial attention for simple tasks, and that the attentional processing required for complex tasks like reading are to a large extent determined by other brain areas and inter-areal connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashika Verghese
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Scott C Kolbe
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew J Anderson
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Gary F Egan
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia; Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton 3168, Australia
| | - Trichur R Vidyasagar
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia.
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36
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Krafft CE, Schaeffer DJ, Schwarz NF, Chi L, Weinberger AL, Pierce JE, Rodrigue AL, Allison JD, Yanasak NE, Liu T, Davis CL, McDowell JE. Improved frontoparietal white matter integrity in overweight children is associated with attendance at an after-school exercise program. Dev Neurosci 2014; 36:1-9. [PMID: 24457421 DOI: 10.1159/000356219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aerobic fitness is associated with white matter integrity (WMI) in adults as measured by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This study examined the effect of an 8-month exercise intervention on WMI in children. Participants were 18 sedentary, overweight (BMI≥85th percentile) 8- to 11-year-old children (94% Black), randomly assigned to either an aerobic exercise (n=10) or sedentary attention control group (n=8). Each group was offered an instructor-led after-school program every school day for approximately 8 months. Before and after the program, all subjects participated in DTI scans. Tractography was conducted to isolate the superior longitudinal fasciculus and investigate whether the exercise intervention affected WMI in this region. There was no group by time interaction for WMI in the superior longitudinal fasciculus. There was a group by time by attendance interaction, however, such that higher attendance at the exercise intervention, but not the control intervention, was associated with increased WMI. Heart rate and the total dose of exercise correlated with WMI changes in the exercise group. In the overall sample, increased WMI was associated with improved scores on a measure of attention and improved teacher ratings of executive function. This study indicates that participating in an exercise intervention improves WMI in children as compared to a sedentary after-school program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia E Krafft
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., USA
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Di X, Rypma B, Biswal BB. Correspondence of executive function related functional and anatomical alterations in aging brain. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2014; 48:41-50. [PMID: 24036319 PMCID: PMC3870052 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2013.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2013] [Revised: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Neurocognitive aging studies have focused on age-related changes in neural activity or neural structure but few studies have focused on relationships between the two. The present study quantitatively reviewed 24 studies of age-related changes in fMRI activation across a broad spectrum of executive function tasks using activation likelihood estimation (ALE) and 22 separate studies of age-related changes in gray matter using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Conjunction analyses between functional and structural alteration maps were constructed. Overlaps were only observed in the conjunction of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) gray matter reduction and functional hyperactivation but not hypoactivation. It was not evident that the conjunctions between gray matter and activation were related to task performance. Theoretical implications of these results are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Di
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07101, USA.
| | - Bart Rypma
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Bharat B. Biswal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07101, USA
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Bennett IJ, Madden DJ. Disconnected aging: cerebral white matter integrity and age-related differences in cognition. Neuroscience 2013; 276:187-205. [PMID: 24280637 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Revised: 11/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cognition arises as a result of coordinated processing among distributed brain regions and disruptions to communication within these neural networks can result in cognitive dysfunction. Cortical disconnection may thus contribute to the declines in some aspects of cognitive functioning observed in healthy aging. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is ideally suited for the study of cortical disconnection as it provides indices of structural integrity within interconnected neural networks. The current review summarizes results of previous DTI aging research with the aim of identifying consistent patterns of age-related differences in white matter integrity, and of relationships between measures of white matter integrity and behavioral performance as a function of adult age. We outline a number of future directions that will broaden our current understanding of these brain-behavior relationships in aging. Specifically, future research should aim to (1) investigate multiple models of age-brain-behavior relationships; (2) determine the tract-specificity versus global effect of aging on white matter integrity; (3) assess the relative contribution of normal variation in white matter integrity versus white matter lesions to age-related differences in cognition; (4) improve the definition of specific aspects of cognitive functioning related to age-related differences in white matter integrity using information processing tasks; and (5) combine multiple imaging modalities (e.g., resting-state and task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging; fMRI) with DTI to clarify the role of cerebral white matter integrity in cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- I J Bennett
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, United States
| | - D J Madden
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, United States.
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White matter hyperintensities are associated with visual search behavior independent of generalized slowing in aging. Neuropsychologia 2013; 52:93-101. [PMID: 24183716 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2013] [Revised: 10/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
A fundamental controversy is whether cognitive decline with advancing age can be entirely explained by decreased processing speed, or whether specific neural changes can elicit cognitive decline, independent of slowing. These hypotheses are anchored by studies of healthy older individuals where age is presumed the sole influence. Unfortunately, advancing age is also associated with asymptomatic brain white matter injury. We hypothesized that differences in white matter injury extent, manifest by MRI white matter hyperintensities (WMH), mediate differences in visual attentional control in healthy aging, beyond processing speed differences. We tested young and cognitively healthy older adults on search tasks indexing speed and attentional control. Increasing age was associated with generally slowed performance. WMH were also associated with slowed search times independent of processing speed differences. Consistent with evidence attributing reduced network connectivity to WMH, these results conclusively demonstrate that clinically silent white matter injury contributes to slower search performance indicative of compromised cognitive control, independent of generalized slowing of processing speed.
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Ghaziri J, Tucholka A, Larue V, Blanchette-Sylvestre M, Reyburn G, Gilbert G, Lévesque J, Beauregard M. Neurofeedback training induces changes in white and gray matter. Clin EEG Neurosci 2013; 44:265-72. [PMID: 23536382 DOI: 10.1177/1550059413476031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The main objective of this structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study was to investigate, using diffusion tensor imaging, whether a neurofeedback training (NFT) protocol designed to improve sustained attention might induce structural changes in white matter (WM) pathways, purportedly implicated in this cognitive ability. Another goal was to examine whether gray matter (GM) volume (GMV) might be altered following NFT in frontal and parietal cortical areas connected by these WM fiber pathways. Healthy university students were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EXP), a sham group, or a control group. Participants in the EXP group were trained to enhance the amplitude of their β1 waves at F4 and P4. Measures of attentional performance and MRI data were acquired one week before (Time 1) and one week after (Time 2) NFT. Higher scores on visual and auditory sustained attention were noted in the EXP group at Time 2 (relative to Time 1). As for structural MRI data, increased fractional anisotropy was measured in WM pathways implicated in sustained attention, and GMV increases were detected in cerebral structures involved in this type of attention. After 50 years of research in the field of neurofeedback, our study constitutes the first empirical demonstration that NFT can lead to microstructural changes in white and gray matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy Ghaziri
- Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
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41
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Abstract
Emerging hypotheses suggest that efficient cognitive functioning requires the integration of separate, but interconnected cortical networks in the brain. Although task-related measures of brain activity suggest that a frontoparietal network is associated with the control of attention, little is known regarding how components within this distributed network act together or with other networks to achieve various attentional functions. This review considers both functional and structural studies of brain connectivity, as complemented by behavioral and task-related neuroimaging data. These studies show converging results: The frontal and parietal cortical regions are active together, over time, and identifiable frontoparietal networks are active in relation to specific task demands. However, the spontaneous, low-frequency fluctuations of brain activity that occur in the resting state, without specific task demands, also exhibit patterns of connectivity that closely resemble the task-related, frontoparietal attention networks. Both task-related and resting-state networks exhibit consistent relations to behavioral measures of attention. Further, anatomical structure, particularly white matter pathways as defined by diffusion tensor imaging, places constraints on intrinsic functional connectivity. Lastly, connectivity analyses applied to investigate cognitive differences across individuals in both healthy and diseased states suggest that disconnection of attentional networks is linked to deficits in cognitive functioning, and in extreme cases, to disorders of attention. Thus, comprehensive theories of visual attention and their clinical translation depend on the continued integration of behavioral, task-related neuroimaging, and brain connectivity measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Parks
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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42
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Hutchison JL, Shokri-Kojori E, Lu H, Rypma B. A BOLD Perspective on Age-Related Neurometabolic-Flow Coupling and Neural Efficiency Changes in Human Visual Cortex. Front Psychol 2013; 4:244. [PMID: 23653614 PMCID: PMC3642502 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related performance declines in visual tasks have been attributed to reductions in processing efficiency. The neural basis of these declines has been explored by comparing the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) index of neural activity in older and younger adults during visual task performance. However, neural activity is one of many factors that change with age and lead to BOLD signal differences. We investigated the origin of age-related BOLD changes by comparing blood flow and oxygen metabolic constituents of BOLD signal. Subjects periodically viewed flickering annuli and pressed a button when detecting luminance changes in a central fixation cross. Using magnetic resonance dual-echo arterial spin labeling and CO2 ingestion, we observed age-equivalent (i.e., similar in older and younger groups) fractional cerebral blood flow (ΔCBF) in the presence of age-related increases in fractional cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (ΔCMRO2). Reductions in ΔCBF responsiveness to increased ΔCMRO2 in elderly led to paradoxical age-related BOLD decreases. Age-related ΔCBF/ΔCMRO2 ratio decreases were associated with reaction times, suggesting that age-related slowing resulted from less efficient neural activity. We hypothesized that reduced vascular responsiveness to neural metabolic demand would lead to a reduction in ΔCBF/ΔCMRO2. A simulation of BOLD relative to ΔCMRO2 for lower and higher neurometabolic-flow coupling ratios (approximating those for old and young, respectively) indicated less BOLD signal change in old than young in relatively lower CMRO2 ranges, as well as greater BOLD signal change in young compared to old in relatively higher CMRO2 ranges. These results suggest that age-comparative studies relying on BOLD signal might be misinterpreted, as age-related BOLD changes do not merely reflect neural activity changes. Age-related declines in neurometabolic-flow coupling might lead to neural efficiency reductions that can adversely affect visual task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Lynn Hutchison
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallas, TX, USA
| | - Ehsan Shokri-Kojori
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX, USA
| | - Hanzhang Lu
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallas, TX, USA
| | - Bart Rypma
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallas, TX, USA
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43
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Montag C, Reuter M, Weber B, Markett S, Schoene-Bake JC. Individual differences in trait anxiety are associated with white matter tract integrity in the left temporal lobe in healthy males but not females. Neuroscience 2012; 217:77-83. [PMID: 22609931 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2012] [Revised: 04/27/2012] [Accepted: 05/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The temporal lobe plays a major role in anxiety and depression disorders and is also of importance for trait anxiety in the non-pathological range. The present study investigates self-report data of personality dimensions linked to trait anxiety in the context of white matter tract integrity in the temporal lobes of the human brain in a large sample of N=110 healthy participants. The results show that especially in men values for fractional anisotropy of several white matter tracts in the temporal lobe of the left hemisphere correlate substantially with individual differences in trait anxiety (depending on the tract investigated between .40 and .49). The present study shows that not only data from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), but also from structural diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provide interesting insights into the biological foundation of human personality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Montag
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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44
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Madden DJ, Bennett IJ, Burzynska A, Potter GG, Chen NK, Song AW. Diffusion tensor imaging of cerebral white matter integrity in cognitive aging. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2011; 1822:386-400. [PMID: 21871957 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2011.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 330] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2011] [Revised: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 08/08/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In this article we review recent research on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of white matter (WM) integrity and the implications for age-related differences in cognition. Neurobiological mechanisms defined from DTI analyses suggest that a primary dimension of age-related decline in WM is a decline in the structural integrity of myelin, particularly in brain regions that myelinate later developmentally. Research integrating behavioral measures with DTI indicates that WM integrity supports the communication among cortical networks, particularly those involving executive function, perceptual speed, and memory (i.e., fluid cognition). In the absence of significant disease, age shares a substantial portion of the variance associated with the relation between WM integrity and fluid cognition. Current data are consistent with one model in which age-related decline in WM integrity contributes to a decreased efficiency of communication among networks for fluid cognitive abilities. Neurocognitive disorders for which older adults are at risk, such as depression, further modulate the relation between WM and cognition, in ways that are not as yet entirely clear. Developments in DTI technology are providing a new insight into both the neurobiological mechanisms of aging WM and the potential contribution of DTI to understanding functional measures of brain activity. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Imaging Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Madden
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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