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Snytte J, Setton R, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Natasha Rajah M, Sheldon S, Turner GR, Spreng RN. Structure-Function Interactions in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex Are Associated with Episodic Memory in Healthy Aging. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0418-23.2023. [PMID: 38479810 PMCID: PMC10972739 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0418-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging comes with declines in episodic memory. Memory decline is accompanied by structural and functional alterations within key brain regions, including the hippocampus and lateral prefrontal cortex, as well as their affiliated default and frontoparietal control networks. Most studies have examined how structural or functional differences relate to memory independently. Here we implemented a multimodal, multivariate approach to investigate how interactions between individual differences in structural integrity and functional connectivity relate to episodic memory performance in healthy aging. In a sample of younger (N = 111; mean age, 22.11 years) and older (N = 78; mean age, 67.29 years) adults, we analyzed structural MRI and multiecho resting-state fMRI data. Participants completed measures of list recall (free recall of words from a list), associative memory (cued recall of paired words), and source memory (cued recall of the trial type, or the sensory modality in which a word was presented). The findings revealed that greater structural integrity of the posterior hippocampus and middle frontal gyrus were linked with a pattern of increased within-network connectivity, which together were related to better associative and source memory in older adulthood. Critically, older adults displayed better memory performance in the context of decreased hippocampal volumes when structural differences were accompanied by functional reorganization. This functional reorganization was characterized by a pruning of connections between the hippocampus and the limbic and frontoparietal control networks. Our work provides insight into the neural mechanisms that underlie age-related compensation, revealing that the functional architecture associated with better memory performance in healthy aging is tied to the structural integrity of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Snytte
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Roni Setton
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Laetitia Mwilambwe-Tshilobo
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540
| | - M Natasha Rajah
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Gary R Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - R Nathan Spreng
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A1, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
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2
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Li X, Chen L, Yu K, Zhuang W, Zhu H, Xu W, Yan H, Qi G, Zhou D, Wu S. Impact of twice-a-day transcranial direct current stimulation intervention on cognitive function and motor cortex plasticity in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Gen Psychiatr 2023; 36:e101166. [PMID: 38155843 PMCID: PMC10753710 DOI: 10.1136/gpsych-2023-101166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Non-invasive brain stimulation has improved cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and some studies suggest a close relationship between cognition and plasticity. However, the clinical benefits of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in patients still need to be evaluated. Aims This study examined the role of tDCS in improving cognition and whether the improved cognition is related to altered cortical plasticity. Methods 124 patients with AD were randomly assigned to active tDCS (n=63) or sham tDCS (n=61). The tDCS was applied at the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 30 treatment sessions across 6 weeks (5 days per week, 2 days off). The Mini-Mental State Examination and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) were used for cognition evaluation at baseline, week 2 and week 6. The cortical plasticity was represented by motor-evoked potential (MEP) measured with an electromyogram. Results The results showed that multiple courses of active tDCS can improve the cognitive functions of patients with AD, especially in the memory domain (word recall, recall of test instructions and word recognition). In addition, the damaged MEP level was enhanced following active treatment. In the active tDCS group, the improvements in ADAS-Cog total and subitem (word recall and word recognition) scores were negatively correlated with the enhancement of MEP. Conclusions Our research indicates for the first time that twice-a-day tDCS may improve the cognitive function of patients with AD. This study also suggests that cognitive dysfunction may be related to impaired cortical plasticity, which warrants mechanistic investigations of the relationship between cognition and plasticity in the future. Trial registration number ChiCTR1900021067.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Ningbo Kangning Hospital & Affiliated Mental Health Centre, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
- Ningbo Key Laboratory for Physical Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental and Psychological Disorders, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yu Yao Third People’s Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kunqiang Yu
- Department of Psychiatry, Second People’s Hospital of Lishui, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenhao Zhuang
- Department of Psychiatry, Ningbo Kangning Hospital & Affiliated Mental Health Centre, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
- Ningbo Key Laboratory for Physical Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental and Psychological Disorders, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yu Yao Third People’s Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenqiang Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Second People’s Hospital of Lishui, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui Yan
- Department of Psychiatry, Taizhou Second People's Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Gangqiao Qi
- Department of Psychiatry, Taizhou Second People's Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Ningbo Kangning Hospital & Affiliated Mental Health Centre, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
- Ningbo Key Laboratory for Physical Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental and Psychological Disorders, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shaochang Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Second People’s Hospital of Lishui, Lishui, Zhejiang, China
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3
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Carlson EJ, Wilckens KA, Wheeler ME. The Interactive Role of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Episodic Memory in Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2023; 78:1844-1852. [PMID: 37167439 PMCID: PMC10562893 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glad112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Adequate sleep is essential for healthy physical, emotional, and cognitive functioning, including memory. However, sleep ability worsens with increasing age. Older adults on average have shorter sleep durations and more disrupted sleep compared with younger adults. Age-related sleep changes are thought to contribute to age-related deficits in episodic memory. Nonetheless, the nature of the relationship between sleep and episodic memory deficits in older adults is still unclear. Further complicating this relationship are age-related changes in circadian rhythms such as the shift in chronotype toward morningness and decreased circadian stability, which may influence memory abilities as well. Most sleep and cognitive aging studies do not account for circadian factors, making it unclear whether age-related and sleep-related episodic memory deficits are partly driven by interactions with circadian rhythms. This review will focus on age-related changes in sleep and circadian rhythms and evidence that these factors interact to affect episodic memory, specifically encoding and retrieval. Open questions, methodological considerations, and clinical implications for diagnosis and monitoring of age-related memory impairments are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse J Carlson
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kristine A Wilckens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mark E Wheeler
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Yan J, Li W, Zhang T, Zhang J, Jin Z, Li L. Structural and functional neural substrates underlying the concreteness effect. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:1493-1510. [PMID: 37389616 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02668-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
The concreteness effect refers to the advantage in speed and accuracy of processing concrete words over abstract words. Previous studies have shown that the processing of the two types of words is mediated by distinct neural mechanisms, but these studies were mainly conducted with task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging. This study investigates the associations between the concreteness effect and grey matter volume (GMV) of brain regions as well as resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of these identified regions. The results show that the GMV of left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), right supplementary motor area and right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) negatively correlates with the concreteness effect. The rsFC of the left IFG, the right MTG and the right ACC with the nodes, mainly in default mode network, frontoparietal network and dorsal attention network positively correlates with the concreteness effect. The GMV and rsFC jointly and respectively predict the concreteness effect in individuals. In conclusion, stronger connectivity amongst functional networks and higher coherent engagement of the right hemisphere predict a greater difference in the verbal memory of abstract and concrete words.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yan
- MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Center for Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- School of Foreign Languages, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenjuan Li
- MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Center for Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Center for Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Junjun Zhang
- MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Center for Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhenlan Jin
- MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Center for Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ling Li
- MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Center for Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Guardia T, Mazloum-Farzaghi N, Olsen RK, Tsvetanov KA, Campbell KL. Associative memory is more strongly predicted by age-related differences in the prefrontal cortex than medial temporal lobes. NEUROIMAGE: REPORTS 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2023.100168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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Fong MCM, Ma MKH, Chui JYT, Law TST, Hui NY, Au A, Wang WS. Foreign Language Learning in Older Adults: Anatomical and Cognitive Markers of Vocabulary Learning Success. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:787413. [PMID: 35340542 PMCID: PMC8942782 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.787413] [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: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, foreign language learning (FLL) has been proposed as a possible cognitive intervention for older adults. However, the brain network and cognitive functions underlying FLL has remained largely unconfirmed in older adults. In particular, older and younger adults have markedly different cognitive profile—while older adults tend to exhibit decline in most cognitive domains, their semantic memory usually remains intact. As such, older adults may engage the semantic functions to a larger extent than the other cognitive functions traditionally considered the most important (e.g., working memory capacity and phonological awareness). Using anatomical measurements and a cognitive test battery, the present study examined this hypothesis in twenty cognitively normal older adults (58–69 years old), who participated in a two-month Italian learning programme. Results showed that the immediate learning success and long-term retention of Italian vocabularies were most consistently predicted by the anatomical measures of the left pars orbitalis and left caudal middle frontal cortex, which are implicated in semantic and episodic memory functions. Convergent evidence was also found based on the pattern of cognitive associations. Our results are consistent with a prominent role of semantic and episodic memory functions in vocabulary learning in older learners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manson Cheuk-Man Fong
- Research Centre for Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Research Institute for Smart Ageing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Manson Cheuk-Man Fong
| | - Matthew King-Hang Ma
- Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jeremy Yin To Chui
- Research Centre for Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tammy Sheung Ting Law
- Research Centre for Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Nga-Yan Hui
- Research Centre for Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alma Au
- Department of Applied Social Science, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - William Shiyuan Wang
- Research Centre for Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Research Institute for Smart Ageing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- William Shiyuan Wang
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Accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation broadly ameliorates symptoms and cognition in Alzheimer's disease: A randomized controlled trial. Brain Stimul 2021; 15:35-45. [PMID: 34752934 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deficits in associative memory (AM) are the earliest and most prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and demonstrate a clear cause of distress for patients and their families. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to determine AM enhancements following accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) in patients with AD. METHODS In a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled design, iTBS was administered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of patients with AD for 14 days. Measurements included AM (primary outcome) and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Patients were evaluated at baseline, following the intervention (week 2), and 8 weeks after treatment cessation (week 10). RESULTS Sixty patients with AD were initially enrolled; 47 completed the trial. The active group displayed greater AM improvements compared with the sham group at week 2 (P = 0.003), which was sustained at week 10. Furthermore, higher Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores at baseline were associated with greater AM improvements at weeks 2 and 10. For the independent iTBS group, this correlation predicted improvements in AM (P < 0.001) and identified treatment responders with 92% accuracy. Most of the neuropsychological tests were markedly improved in the active group. In particular, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and MMSE in the active group increased by 2.8 and 2.3 points, respectively, at week 2, while there was no marked change in the sham group. CONCLUSION In the present study, accelerated iTBS of the DLPFC demonstrated an effective and well-tolerated complementary treatment for patients with AD, especially for individuals with relatively high MMSE scores.
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8
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Nie A, Jiang G. Does stimulus emotionality influence associative memory? Insights from directed forgetting. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-00449-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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9
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Wang P, Cai H, Luo R, Zhang Z, Zhang D, Zhang Y. Measurement of Cortical Atrophy and Its Correlation to Memory Impairment in Patients With Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis Based on VBM-DARTEL. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:620763. [PMID: 34295237 PMCID: PMC8289738 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.620763] [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: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Severe carotid artery stenosis (CAS) can lead to atrophy of gray matter (GM) and memory impairment; however, the underlying mechanism is unknown. Thus, we aimed to identify memory impairment and GM atrophy and explore the possible correlation between them in patients with asymptomatic severe CAS. Methods Twenty-four patients with asymptomatic severe CAS and 10 healthy controls completed the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and clinical memory scale (CMS) and underwent 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Field intensity inhomogeneities were corrected. Images were processed using VBM8, and GM images were flipped. First, 11 flipped and 10 non-flipped images of patients with unilateral CAS and 5 flipped and 5 non-flipped images of controls were pre-processed using DARTEL algorithm and analyzed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Second, flipped and non-flipped images of unilateral patients were similarly pre-processed and analyzed using the paired t-test. Third, pre-processed non-flipped GM images and CMS scores of 24 patients were analyzed by multiple regression analysis. Nuisance variables were corrected accordingly. Results Basic information was well matched between patients and controls. MMSE scores of patients were in the normal range; however, memory function was significantly reduced (all P < 0.05). GM volumes of patients were significantly reduced in the anterior circulation regions. The stenosis-side hemispheres showed greater atrophy. GM volumes of the left pars opercularis, pars triangularis, and middle frontal gyrus were strongly positively correlated with the total scores of CMS (all r > 0.7, P = 0.001). Additionally, the left middle frontal gyrus was strongly positively correlated with associative memory (r = 0.853, P = 0.001). The left pars opercularis was moderately positively correlated with semantic memory (r = 0.695, P = 0.001). Conclusion Patients with asymptomatic CAS suffer from memory impairment. Bilateral anterior circulation regions showed extensive atrophy. The hemisphere with stenosis showed severer atrophy. Memory impairment in patients may be related to atrophy of the left frontal gyrus and atrophy of different regions may result in different memory impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peijiong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases (NCRC-ND), Beijing, China.,Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Husule Cai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases (NCRC-ND), Beijing, China.,Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Rutao Luo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China
| | - Zihao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Beijing MRI Center for Brain Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases (NCRC-ND), Beijing, China.,Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases (NCRC-ND), Beijing, China.,Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China
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10
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Nilsson J, Berggren R, Garzón B, Lebedev AV, Lövdén M. Second Language Learning in Older Adults: Effects on Brain Structure and Predictors of Learning Success. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:666851. [PMID: 34149398 PMCID: PMC8209301 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.666851] [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: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It has previously been demonstrated that short-term foreign language learning can lead to structural brain changes in younger adults. Experience-dependent brain plasticity is known to be possible also in older age, but the specific effect of foreign language learning on brain structure in language-and memory-relevant regions in the old brain remains unknown. In the present study, 160 older Swedish adults (65–75 years) were randomized to complete either an entry-level Italian course or a relaxation course, both with a total duration of 11 weeks. Structural MRI scans were conducted before and after the intervention in a subset of participants to test for differential change in gray matter in the two groups in the inferior frontal gyrus, the superior temporal gyrus, and the hippocampus, and in white matter microstructure in the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), fronto-occipital fasciculus, and the hippocampal (HC) section of the cingulum. The study found no evidence for differential structural change following language training, independent of achieved vocabulary proficiency. However, hippocampal volume and associative memory ability before the intervention were found to be robust predictors of vocabulary proficiency at the end of the language course. The results suggest that having greater hippocampal volume and better associative memory ability benefits vocabulary learning in old age but that the very initial stage of foreign language learning does not trigger detectable changes in brain morphometry in old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonna Nilsson
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Physical Activity and Health, Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rasmus Berggren
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Benjamín Garzón
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alexander V Lebedev
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Lövdén
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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11
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Effects of age differences in memory formation on neural mechanisms of consolidation and retrieval. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 116:135-145. [PMID: 33676853 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Episodic memory decline is a hallmark of cognitive aging and a multifaceted phenomenon. We review studies that target age differences across different memory processing stages, i.e., from encoding to retrieval. The available evidence suggests that age differences during memory formation may affect the quality of memory representations in an age-graded manner with downstream consequences for later processing stages. We argue that low memory quality in combination with age-related neural decline of key regions of the episodic memory network puts older adults in a double jeopardy situation that finally results in broader memory impairments in older compared to younger adults.
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12
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Gellersen HM, Guell X, Sami S. Differential vulnerability of the cerebellum in healthy ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 30:102605. [PMID: 33735787 PMCID: PMC7974323 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent findings challenge the prior notion that the cerebellum remains unaffected by Alzheimer's disease (AD). Yet, it is unclear whether AD exacerbates age-related cerebellar grey matter decline or engages distinct structural and functional territories. We performed a meta-analysis of cerebellar grey matter loss in normal ageing and AD. We mapped voxels with structural decline onto established brain networks, functional parcellations, and along gradients that govern the functional organisation of the cerebellum. Importantly, these gradients track continuous changes in cerebellar specialisation providing a more nuanced measure of the functional profile of regions vulnerable to ageing and AD. Gradient 1 progresses from motor to cognitive territories; Gradient 2 isolates attentional processing; Gradient 3 captures lateralisation differences in cognitive functions. We identified bilateral and right-lateralised posterior cerebellar atrophy in ageing and AD, respectively. Age- and AD-related structural decline only showed partial spatial overlap in right lobule VI/Crus I. Despite the seemingly distinct patterns of AD- and age-related atrophy, the functional profiles of these regions were similar. Both participate in the same macroscale networks (default mode, frontoparietal, attention), support executive functions and language processing, and did not exhibit a difference in relative positions along Gradients 1 or 2. However, Gradient 3 values were significantly different in ageing vs. AD, suggesting that the roles of left and right atrophied cerebellar regions exhibit subtle functional differences despite their membership in similar macroscale networks. These findings provide an unprecedented characterisation of structural and functional differences and similarities in cerebellar grey matter loss between normal ageing and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena M Gellersen
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Xavier Guell
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, USA.
| | - Saber Sami
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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Köhncke Y, Düzel S, Sander MC, Lindenberger U, Kühn S, Brandmaier AM. Hippocampal and Parahippocampal Gray Matter Structural Integrity Assessed by Multimodal Imaging Is Associated with Episodic Memory in Old Age. Cereb Cortex 2020; 31:1464-1477. [PMID: 33150357 PMCID: PMC7869080 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintained structural integrity of hippocampal and cortical gray matter may explain why some older adults show rather preserved episodic memory. However, viable measurement models for estimating individual differences in gray matter structural integrity are lacking; instead, findings rely on fallible single indicators of integrity. Here, we introduce multitrait–multimethod methodology to capture individual differences in gray matter integrity, based on multimodal structural imaging in a large sample of 1522 healthy adults aged 60–88 years from the Berlin Aging Study II, including 333 participants who underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Structural integrity factors expressed the common variance of voxel-based morphometry, mean diffusivity, and magnetization transfer ratio for each of four regions of interest: hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, prefrontal cortex, and precuneus. Except for precuneus, the integrity factors correlated with episodic memory. Associations with hippocampal and parahippocampal integrity persisted after controlling for age, sex, and education. Our results support the proposition that episodic memory ability in old age benefits from maintained structural integrity of hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus. Exploratory follow-up analyses on sex differences showed that this effect is restricted to men. Multimodal factors of structural brain integrity might help to improve our biological understanding of human memory aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ylva Köhncke
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Düzel
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Myriam C Sander
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas M Brandmaier
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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14
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Fu J, Liu F, Qin W, Xu Q, Yu C. Individual-Level Identification of Gene Expression Associated with Volume Differences among Neocortical Areas. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:3655-3666. [PMID: 32186704 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The human cerebral cortex is the source of many complex behaviors and is a vulnerable target of various neuropsychiatric disorders, but transcriptional profiles linked to cerebral cortical volume (CCV) differences across brain areas remain unknown. Here, we screened CCV-related genes using an across-sample spatial correlation analysis in 6 postmortem brains and then individually validated these correlations in 1091 subjects with different ages and ethnicities. We identified 62 genes whose transcriptional profiles were repeatedly associated with CCV in more than 90% of individuals. CCV-related genes were specifically expressed in neurons and in developmental periods from middle childhood to young adulthood, were enriched in ion channels and developmental processes, and showed significant overlap with genes linked to brain functional activity and mental disorders. The identified genes represent the conserved transcriptional architecture of the human cerebral cortex, suggesting a link between conserved gene transcription and neocortical structural properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilian Fu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Wen Qin
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Chunshui Yu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
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15
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Seubert J, Kalpouzos G, Larsson M, Hummel T, Bäckman L, Laukka EJ. Temporolimbic cortical volume is associated with semantic odor memory performance in aging. Neuroimage 2020; 211:116600. [PMID: 32018003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory function, and specifically semantic olfactory memory (i.e., odor identification), has frequently been shown to predict cognitive functioning across multiple domains in old age. This observation suggests that olfactory function can serve as a marker for the integrity of temporolimbic cortical networks, but a clear delineation of this association is still missing. To address this issue, the present study employed voxel-based morphometry in a region of interest-based design to determine the extent to which gray matter volumes of core olfactory and memory areas are associated with olfactory memory performance in an aging population free from neurodegenerative disease. We further aimed to determine potential overlap in structural anatomical correlates, and differences in association strength, for semantic and episodic olfactory memory. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), episodic and semantic odor memory and episodic and semantic verbal memory data were collected in 422 participants from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K), all aged ≥ 60 years. Controlling for age and education, semantic, but not episodic, olfactory memory was positively related to gray matter volume in a cluster extending from the anterior hippocampus and amygdala into the posterior piriform cortex. The observed associations remained even when verbal memory performance was controlled for, supporting a link between the olfactory memory domain and cortical volume over and above more generalized memory abilities. As such, our data provide evidence for distinct functional-structural associations for semantic odor memory, supporting the idea of temporolimbic integrity as a neurobiological substrate linking olfactory function to cognitive health in old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Seubert
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Grégoria Kalpouzos
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Larsson
- Gösta Ekman's Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lars Bäckman
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erika J Laukka
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden
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16
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Brehmer Y, Nilsson J, Berggren R, Schmiedek F, Lövdén M. The importance of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex for associative memory in older adults: A latent structural equation analysis. Neuroimage 2019; 209:116475. [PMID: 31877373 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Older adults show relatively minor age-related decline in memory for single items, while their memory for associations is markedly reduced. Inter-individual differences in memory function in older adults are substantial but the neurobiological underpinnings of such differences are not well understood. In particular, the relative importance of inter-individual differences in the medio-temporal lobe (MTL) and the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) for associative and item recognition in older adults is still ambiguous. We therefore aimed to first establish the distinction between inter-individual differences in associative memory (recollection-based) performance and item memory (familiarity-based) performance in older adults and subsequently link these two constructs to differences in cortical thickness in the MTL and lateral PFC regions, in a latent structural equation modelling framework. To this end, a sample of 160 older adults (65-75 years old) performed three intentional item-associative memory tasks, of which a subsample (n = 72) additionally had cortical thickness measures in MTL and PFC regions of interest available. The results provided support for a distinction between familiarity-based item memory and recollection-based associative memory performance in older adults. Cortical thickness in the ventro-medial prefrontal cortex was positively correlated with associative recognition performance, above and beyond any relationship between item recognition performance and cortical thickness in the same region and between associative recognition performance and brain structure in the MTL (parahippocampus). The findings highlight the relative importance of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in allowing for intentional recollection-based associative memory functioning in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Brehmer
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
| | - Jonna Nilsson
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Rasmus Berggren
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Florian Schmiedek
- Department for Education and Human Development, DIPF
- Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Lövdén
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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17
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Theta band high definition transcranial alternating current stimulation, but not transcranial direct current stimulation, improves associative memory performance. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8562. [PMID: 31189985 PMCID: PMC6561937 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44680-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Associative memory (AM) deficits are common in neurodegenerative disease and novel therapies aimed at improving these faculties are needed. Theta band oscillations within AM networks have been shown to be important for successful memory encoding and modulating these rhythms represents a promising strategy for cognitive enhancement. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (TACS) has been hypothesized to entrain and increase power of endogenous brain rhythms. For this reason, we hypothesized that focal delivery of theta band electrical current, using high-definition TACS, would result in improved AM performance compared to sham stimulation or transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS). In this pilot study, 60 healthy subjects were randomized to receive high definition TACS, high definition TDCS, or sham stimulation delivered to the right fusiform cortex during encoding of visual associations. Consistent with our hypothesis, improved AM performance was observed in the TACS group, while TDCS had no effect. However, TACS also resulted in improved correct rejection of never seen items, reduced false memory, and reduced forgetting, suggesting the effect may not be specific for AM processes. Overall, this work informs strategies for improving associative memory and suggests alternating current is more effective than direct current stimulation in some contexts.
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18
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Zheng Z, Li R, Xiao F, He R, Zhang S, Li J. Intrinsic spontaneous brain activity predicts individual variability in associative memory in older adults. Psych J 2018; 7:77-91. [DOI: 10.1002/pchj.212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Zheng
- Center on Aging Psychology, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health; Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- Department of Psychology; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Rui Li
- Center on Aging Psychology, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health; Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- Department of Psychology; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center; Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | | | - Rongqiao He
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science; Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | | | - Juan Li
- Center on Aging Psychology, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health; Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- Department of Psychology; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center; Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science; Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
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19
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Zheng Z, Li R, Xiao F, He R, Zhang S, Li J. Sex Matters: Hippocampal Volume Predicts Individual Differences in Associative Memory in Cognitively Normal Older Women but Not Men. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:93. [PMID: 28321185 PMCID: PMC5337694 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus plays a prominent role in associative memory by supporting relational binding and recollection processes. Structural atrophy in the hippocampus is likely to induce associative memory deficits in older adults. Previous studies have primarily focused on average age-related differences in hippocampal structure and memory performance. To date, however, it remains unclear whether individual differences in hippocampal morphometry underlie differential associative memory performance, and whether there are sex differences in the structural correlates of associative memory in healthy older adults. Here, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine the extent to which gray matter volume (GMV) of the hippocampus predicts associative memory performance in cognitively normal older adults. Seventy-one participants completed a cued recall paired-associative learning test (PALT), which consists of novel associations and semantically related associations, and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We observed worse associative memory performance and larger variability for novel associations than for semantically related associations. The VBM results revealed that higher scores on associative memory for novel associations were related to greater hippocampal GMV across all older adults. When considering men and women separately, the correlation between hippocampal GMV and associative memory performance for novel associations reached significance only in older women. These findings suggest that hippocampal structural volumes may predict individual differences in novel associative memory in older women but not men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Zheng
- Center on Aging Psychology, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Rui Li
- Center on Aging Psychology, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | | | - Rongqiao He
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | | | - Juan Li
- Center on Aging Psychology, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
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20
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Gorbach T, Pudas S, Lundquist A, Orädd G, Josefsson M, Salami A, de Luna X, Nyberg L. Longitudinal association between hippocampus atrophy and episodic-memory decline. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 51:167-176. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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21
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Bellander M, Eschen A, Lövdén M, Martin M, Bäckman L, Brehmer Y. No Evidence for Improved Associative Memory Performance Following Process-Based Associative Memory Training in Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 8:326. [PMID: 28119597 PMCID: PMC5220050 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies attempting to improve episodic memory performance with strategy instructions and training have had limited success in older adults: their training gains are limited in comparison to those of younger adults and do not generalize to untrained tasks and contexts. This limited success has been partly attributed to age-related impairments in associative binding of information into coherent episodes. We therefore investigated potential training and transfer effects of process-based associative memory training (i.e., repeated practice). Thirty-nine older adults (Mage = 68.8) underwent 6 weeks of either adaptive associative memory training or item recognition training. Both groups improved performance in item memory, spatial memory (object-context binding) and reasoning. A disproportionate effect of associative memory training was only observed for item memory, whereas no training-related performance changes were observed for associative memory. Self-reported strategies showed no signs of spontaneous development of memory-enhancing associative memory strategies. Hence, the results do not support the hypothesis that process-based associative memory training leads to higher associative memory performance in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bellander
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anne Eschen
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Center (INAPIC), University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Lövdén
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mike Martin
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Center (INAPIC), University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland
| | - Lars Bäckman
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yvonne Brehmer
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden; Otto Hahn Research Group on Associative Memory in Old Age, Max Planck Institute for Human DevelopmentBerlin, Germany
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22
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Peterson DJ, Gargya S, Kopeikin KS, Naveh-Benjamin M. The impact of level of education on age-related deficits in associative memory: Behavioral and neuropsychological perspectives. Cortex 2016; 91:9-24. [PMID: 28111047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Older adults have difficulty forming associations and binding distinct item components despite mostly preserved item memory potentially because they rely on more automatic, rather than strategic, processing when attempting to form, store, and retrieve associations from memory. An intriguing possibility is that older adults with greater access to strategic processes (e.g., those with a high level of education) may be less susceptible to age-related associative memory deficits. Two experiments assessed the degree to which a high level of education provides an effective dose of cognitive reserve (CR), potentially preserving associative memory. Standard younger and older adults' item and associative memory performance was compared to older adults who had attained a high level of education (mostly doctoral degrees). In both experiments (Experiment 1: person-action pairs; Experiment 2: unrelated word pairs), consistent evidence was found that older adults, regardless of the level of education, exhibited an age-related associative memory deficit relative to younger adults. Interestingly, neuropsychological assessment of both older adult groups revealed greater frontal lobe, but not enhanced medial temporal lobe, functioning in the highly educated. As such, although the highly educated older adults exhibited greater frontal lobe functioning than the standard older adults, this did not aid in the reduction of the age-related associative memory deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwight J Peterson
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, USA; Department of Psychology, Concordia College, USA.
| | - Sanchita Gargya
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, USA.
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23
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Papenberg G, Becker N, Ferencz B, Naveh-Benjamin M, Laukka EJ, Bäckman L, Brehmer Y. Dopamine Receptor Genes Modulate Associative Memory in Old Age. J Cogn Neurosci 2016; 29:245-253. [PMID: 27647283 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Previous research shows that associative memory declines more than item memory in aging. Although the underlying mechanisms of this selective impairment remain poorly understood, animal and human data suggest that dopaminergic modulation may be particularly relevant for associative binding. We investigated the influence of dopamine (DA) receptor genes on item and associative memory in a population-based sample of older adults (n = 525, aged 60 years), assessed with a face-scene item associative memory task. The effects of single-nucleotide polymorphisms of DA D1 (DRD1; rs4532), D2 (DRD2/ANKK1/Taq1A; rs1800497), and D3 (DRD3/Ser9Gly; rs6280) receptor genes were examined and combined into a single genetic score. Individuals carrying more beneficial alleles, presumably associated with higher DA receptor efficacy (DRD1 C allele; DRD2 A2 allele; DRD3 T allele), performed better on associative memory than persons with less beneficial genotypes. There were no effects of these genes on item memory or other cognitive measures, such as working memory, executive functioning, fluency, and perceptual speed, indicating a selective association between DA genes and associative memory. By contrast, genetic risk for Alzheimer disease (AD) was associated with worse item and associative memory, indicating adverse effects of APOE ε4 and a genetic risk score for AD (PICALM, BIN1, CLU) on episodic memory in general. Taken together, our results suggest that DA may be particularly important for associative memory, whereas AD-related genetic variations may influence overall episodic memory in older adults without dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nina Becker
- Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,Stockholm University.,Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beata Ferencz
- Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,Stockholm University
| | | | - Erika J Laukka
- Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,Stockholm University
| | - Lars Bäckman
- Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,Stockholm University
| | - Yvonne Brehmer
- Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,Stockholm University.,Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
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24
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Devitt AL, Schacter DL. False memories with age: Neural and cognitive underpinnings. Neuropsychologia 2016; 91:346-359. [PMID: 27592332 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As we age we become increasingly susceptible to memory distortions and inaccuracies. Over the past decade numerous neuroimaging studies have attempted to illuminate the neural underpinnings of aging and false memory. Here we review these studies, and link their findings with those concerning the cognitive properties of age-related changes in memory accuracy. Collectively this evidence points towards a prominent role for age-related declines in medial temporal and prefrontal brain areas, and corresponding impairments in associative binding and strategic monitoring. A resulting cascade of cognitive changes contributes to the heightened vulnerability to false memories with age, including reduced recollective ability, a reliance on gist information and familiarity-based monitoring mechanisms, as well as a reduced ability to inhibit irrelevant information and erroneous binding of features between memory traces. We consider both theoretical and applied implications of research on aging and false memories, as well as questions remaining to be addressed in future research.
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25
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Neuropsychology of aging, past, present and future: Contributions of Morris Moscovitch. Neuropsychologia 2016; 90:117-24. [PMID: 27321587 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this review we provide a broad overview of major trends in the cognitive neuroscience of aging and illustrate their roots in the pioneering ideas and discoveries of Morris Moscovitch and his close collaborators, especially Gordon Winocur. These trends include an on-going focus on the specific and dissociable contributions of medial temporal and frontal lobe processes to cognitive aging, especially in the memory domain, the role of individual variability stemming from different patterns of underlying neural decline, the possibility of compensatory neural and cognitive influences that alter the expression of neurobiological aging, and the investigation of lifestyle and psychosocial factors that affect plasticity and may contribute to the rate and level of neurocognitive decline. These prescient ideas, evident in the early work of Moscovitch and Winocur, continue to drive on-going research efforts in the cognitive neuroscience of aging.
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