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Hults CM, Francis RC, Clint EK, Smith W, Sober ER, Garland T, Rhodes JS. Still little evidence sex differences in spatial navigation are evolutionary adaptations. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231532. [PMID: 38234440 PMCID: PMC10791541 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
A putative male advantage in wayfinding ability is the most widely documented sex difference in human cognition and has also been observed in other animals. The common interpretation, the sex-specific adaptation hypothesis, posits that this male advantage evolved as an adaptive response to sex differences in home range size. A previous study a decade ago tested this hypothesis by comparing sex differences in home range size and spatial ability among 11 species and found no relationship. However, the study was limited by the small sample size, the lack of species with a larger female home range and the lack of non-Western human data. The present study represents an update that addresses all of these limitations, including data from 10 more species and from human subsistence cultures. Consistent with the previous result, we found little evidence that sex differences in spatial navigation and home range size are related. We conclude that sex differences in spatial ability are more likely due to experiential factors and/or unselected biological side effects, rather than functional outcomes of natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor M. Hults
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, 603 E. Daniel St., Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | | | - Edward K. Clint
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, OR, USA
| | - Winter Smith
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, OR, USA
| | - Elliott R. Sober
- Department of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Theodore Garland
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Justin S. Rhodes
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, 603 E. Daniel St., Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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Fernandez-Velasco P, Coutrot A, Oloye H, Wiener JM, Dalton RC, Holscher C, Manley E, Hornberger M, Spiers HJ. No link between handedness and spatial navigation: evidence from over 400 000 participants in 41 countries. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231514. [PMID: 37817602 PMCID: PMC10565369 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1514] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an active debate concerning the association of handedness and spatial ability. Past studies used small sample sizes. Determining the effect of handedness on spatial ability requires a large, cross-cultural sample of participants and a navigation task with real-world validity. Here, we overcome these challenges via the mobile app Sea Hero Quest. We analysed the navigation performance from 422 772 participants from 41 countries and found no reliable evidence for any difference in spatial ability between left- and right-handers across all countries. A small but growing gap in performance appears for participants over 64 years old, with left-handers outperforming right-handers. Further analysis, however, suggests that this gap is most likely due to selection bias. Overall, our study clarifies the factors associated with spatial ability and shows that left-handedness is not associated with either a benefit or a deficit in spatial ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Fernandez-Velasco
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Philosophy, University of York, York, UK
| | - A. Coutrot
- LIRIS, CNRS, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - H. Oloye
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- Centre of Medical Imaging Computing, Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - J. M. Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Research Centre, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - R. C. Dalton
- Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - C. Holscher
- ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - E. Manley
- Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, London, UK
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - M. Hornberger
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - H. J. Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
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3
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Sullivan EV, Thompson WK, Brumback T, Prouty D, Tapert SF, Brown SA, De Bellis MD, Nooner KB, Baker FC, Colrain IM, Clark DB, Nagel BJ, Pohl KM, Pfefferbaum A. Prior test experience confounds longitudinal tracking of adolescent cognitive and motor development. BMC Med Res Methodol 2022; 22:177. [PMID: 35751025 PMCID: PMC9233356 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-022-01606-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Accurate measurement of trajectories in longitudinal studies, considered the gold standard method for tracking functional growth during adolescence, decline in aging, and change after head injury, is subject to confounding by testing experience. Methods We measured change in cognitive and motor abilities over four test sessions (baseline and three annual assessments) in 154 male and 165 female participants (baseline age 12–21 years) from the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) study. At each of the four test sessions, these participants were given a test battery using computerized administration and traditional pencil and paper tests that yielded accuracy and speed measures for multiple component cognitive (Abstraction, Attention, Emotion, Episodic memory, Working memory, and General Ability) and motor (Ataxia and Speed) functions. The analysis aim was to dissociate neurodevelopment from testing experience by using an adaptation of the twice-minus-once tested method, which calculated the difference between longitudinal change (comprising developmental plus practice effects) and practice-free initial cross-sectional performance for each consecutive pairs of test sessions. Accordingly, the first set of analyses quantified the effects of learning (i.e., prior test experience) on accuracy and after speed domain scores. Then developmental effects were determined for each domain for accuracy and speed having removed the measured learning effects. Results The greatest gains in performance occurred between the first and second sessions, especially in younger participants, regardless of sex, but practice gains continued to accrue thereafter for several functions. For all 8 accuracy composite scores, the developmental effect after accounting for learning was significant across age and was adequately described by linear fits. The learning-adjusted developmental effects for speed were adequately described by linear fits for Abstraction, Emotion, Episodic Memory, General Ability, and Motor scores, although a nonlinear fit was better for Attention, Working Memory, and Average Speed scores. Conclusion Thus, what appeared as accelerated cognitive and motor development was, in most cases, attributable to learning. Recognition of the substantial influence of prior testing experience is critical for accurate characterization of normal development and for developing norms for clinical neuropsychological investigations of conditions affecting the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine (MC5723), 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5723, USA.
| | - Wesley K Thompson
- Division of Biostatistics and Dept of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ty Brumback
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY, USA
| | - Devin Prouty
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Susan F Tapert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sandra A Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael D De Bellis
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kate B Nooner
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Fiona C Baker
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Ian M Colrain
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Duncan B Clark
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bonnie J Nagel
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Kilian M Pohl
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine (MC5723), 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5723, USA.,Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine (MC5723), 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5723, USA.,Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
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4
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Handedness, intelligence, visual-perceptual and motor functions in young adults. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01651-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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5
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Fernandez-Baizan C, Arias JL, Mendez M. Spatial memory assessment reveals age-related differences in egocentric and allocentric memory performance. Behav Brain Res 2020; 388:112646. [PMID: 32344039 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Humans move through the environment to reach a place mainly using two strategies: egocentric, taking the viewer's position as a point of reference, and allocentric, employing external landmarks in order to create a mental map of the environment. Aging seems to be associated with a deterioration in these functions, and although participants are evaluated with both virtual and real-environment tasks, performance on these two strategies is not frequently compared. Our objective was to evaluate egocentric and allocentric spatial memory in young and older adult populations using three tasks performed in real environments that allow the perception of 3-D information present in our daily orientation and make it possible to analyse each strategy separately. Twenty-eight young adults and 27 older adults performed Egocentric and Allocentric Spatial Memory Tasks, the Spatial Span task from CANTAB to assess visuospatial span and visuospatial working memory, and Benton's Judge of Line Orientation Test to measure the ability to establish judgments of spatial relations. Young adults outperformed older adults on spatial memory tasks. The older group improved across allocentric blocks. Young men outperformed older men on both the egocentric and allocentric tasks, whereas young women only achieved better scores than older women on the allocentric task. Our findings support the existence of age-related differences in spatial memory performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Fernandez-Baizan
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA). Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Department of Psychology. University of Oviedo. Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA). Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Department of Psychology. University of Oviedo. Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
| | - Marta Mendez
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA). Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Department of Psychology. University of Oviedo. Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
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6
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Holahan MR, Tzakis N, Oliveira FA. Developmental Aspects of Glucose and Calcium Availability on the Persistence of Memory Function Over the Lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:253. [PMID: 31572169 PMCID: PMC6749050 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
An important aspect concerning the underlying nature of memory function is an understanding of how memories are acquired and lost. The stability, and ultimate demise, of memory over the lifespan of an organism remains a critical topic in determining the neurobiological mechanisms that mediate memory representations. This has important implications for the elucidation and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). One important question in the context of preserving functional plasticity over the lifespan is the determination of the neurobiological structural and functional changes that contribute to the formation of memory during the juvenile time frame that might provide protection against later memory dysfunction by promoting the establishment of redundant neural pathways. The main question being, if memory formation during the juvenile period does strengthen and preserve memory stability over the lifespan, what are the neurobiological structural or functional substrates that mediate this effect? One neural attribute whose function may be altered with early life experience and provide a mechanism to preserve memory through the lifespan is glucose transport-linked calcium (Ca2+) buffering. Because peak increases in glucose utilization overlap with a timeframe during which spatial training can enhance later memory processing, it might be the case that learning-associated changes in glucose utilization would provide an important neural functional change to preserve memory function throughout the lifespan. The glucose transporters are proteins that are reduced in AD pathology and there is evidence that glucose reductions can impair Ca2+ buffering. In the absence of an appropriate supply of ATP, provided via glucose transport and glycolysis, Ca2+ levels can rise leading to neural vulnerability with ensuing pathological outcomes. In this review, we explore the hypothesis that enhancing glucose utilization with spatial training during the preadolescent period will provide a functional enhancement that regulates glucose-dependent Ca2+ signaling during aging or neurodegeneration and provide essential neural resources to preserve functional plasticity and memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Holahan
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (LaNeC), Center for Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Niko Tzakis
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Fernando A. Oliveira
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (LaNeC), Center for Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
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8
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Fernandez-Baizan C, Arias J, Mendez M. Spatial memory in young adults: Gender differences in egocentric and allocentric performance. Behav Brain Res 2019; 359:694-700. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Fogel J, Rubin LH, Maki P, Keutmann MK, Gonzalez R, Vassileva J, Martin EM. Effects of sex and HIV serostatus on spatial navigational learning and memory among cocaine users. J Neurovirol 2017; 23:855-863. [PMID: 28849352 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-017-0563-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Spatial learning and memory are critically dependent on the integrity of hippocampal systems. Functional MRI and neuropathological studies show that hippocampal circuitry is prominently affected among HIV-seropositive individuals, but potential spatial learning and memory deficits have not been studied in detail in this population. We investigated the independent and interactive effects of sex and HIV serostatus on performance of a spatial learning and memory task in a sample of 181 individuals with a history of cocaine dependence. We found that men showed faster times to completion on immediate recall trials compared with women and that delayed recall was significantly poorer among HIV-infected compared with HIV-uninfected participants. Additionally, a sex × serostatus effect was found on the total number of completed learning trials. Specifically, HIV-infected men successfully completed more learning trials compared with HIV-infected women. Results are discussed in the context of recent reports of sex and HIV serostatus effects on episodic memory performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Fogel
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - L H Rubin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - P Maki
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - M K Keutmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 600, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - R Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - J Vassileva
- Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - E M Martin
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 600, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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10
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Stening E, Persson J, Eriksson E, Wahlund LO, Zetterberg H, Söderlund H. Specific patterns of whole-brain structural covariance of the anterior and posterior hippocampus in young APOE ε4 carriers. Behav Brain Res 2017; 326:256-264. [PMID: 28284953 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.03.013] [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] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 has been associated with smaller hippocampal volumes in healthy aging, while findings in young adults are inconclusive. Previous studies have mostly used univariate methods, and without considering potential anterior/posterior differences. Here, we used a multivariate method, partial least squares, and assessed whole-brain structural covariance of the anterior (aHC) and posterior (pHC) hippocampus in young adults (n=97) as a function of APOE ε4 status and sex. Two significant patterns emerged: (1) specific structural covariance of the aHC with frontal regions, temporal and occipital areas in APOE ε4 women, whereas the volume of both the aHC and pHC in all other groups co-varied with frontal, parietal and cerebellar areas; and (2) opposite structural covariance of the pHC in ε4 carriers compared to the aHC in non-carriers, with the pHC of ε4 carriers covarying with parietal and frontal areas, and the aHC of ε4 non-carriers covarying with motor areas and the middle frontal gyrus. APOE ε4 has in young adults been associated with better episodic and spatial memory, functions involving the aHC and pHC, respectively. We found no associations between structural covariance and performance, suggesting that other factors underlie the performance differences seen between carriers and non-carriers. Our findings indicate that APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers differ in hippocampal organization and that there are differences as a function of sex and hippocampal segment. They stress the need to consider the hippocampus as a heterogeneous structure, and highlight the benefits of multivariate methods in assessing group differences in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Stening
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jonas Persson
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elias Eriksson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lars-Olof Wahlund
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
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11
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Lucon-Xiccato T, Bisazza A. Individual differences in cognition among teleost fishes. Behav Processes 2017; 141:184-195. [PMID: 28126389 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2016] [Revised: 01/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Individual differences in cognitive abilities have been thoroughly investigated in humans and to a lesser extent in other mammals. Despite the growing interest in studying cognition in other taxonomic groups, data on individual differences are scarce for non-mammalian species. Here, we review the literature on individual differences in cognitive abilities in teleost fishes. Relatively few studies have directly addressed this topic and have provided evidence of consistent and heritable individual variation in cognitive abilities in fish. We found much more evidence of individual cognitive differences in other research areas, namely sex differences, personality differences, cerebral lateralisation and comparison between populations. Altogether, these studies suggest that individual differences in cognition are as common in fish as in warm-blooded vertebrates. Based on the example of research on mammals, we suggest directions for future investigation in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angelo Bisazza
- Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
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12
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Sullivan EV, Brumback T, Tapert SF, Fama R, Prouty D, Brown SA, Cummins K, Thompson WK, Colrain IM, Baker FC, De Bellis MD, Hooper SR, Clark DB, Chung T, Nagel BJ, Nichols BN, Rohlfing T, Chu W, Pohl KM, Pfefferbaum A. Cognitive, emotion control, and motor performance of adolescents in the NCANDA study: Contributions from alcohol consumption, age, sex, ethnicity, and family history of addiction. Neuropsychology 2016; 30:449-73. [PMID: 26752122 DOI: 10.1037/neu0000259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate development of cognitive and motor functions in healthy adolescents and to explore whether hazardous drinking affects the normal developmental course of those functions. METHOD Participants were 831 adolescents recruited across 5 United States sites of the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence 692 met criteria for no/low alcohol exposure, and 139 exceeded drinking thresholds. Cross-sectional, baseline data were collected with computerized and traditional neuropsychological tests assessing 8 functional domains expressed as composite scores. General additive modeling evaluated factors potentially modulating performance (age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and pubertal developmental stage). RESULTS Older no/low-drinking participants achieved better scores than younger ones on 5 accuracy composites (general ability, abstraction, attention, emotion, and balance). Speeded responses for attention, motor speed, and general ability were sensitive to age and pubertal development. The exceeds-threshold group (accounting for age, sex, and other demographic factors) performed significantly below the no/low-drinking group on balance accuracy and on general ability, attention, episodic memory, emotion, and motor speed scores and showed evidence for faster speed at the expense of accuracy. Delay Discounting performance was consistent with poor impulse control in the younger no/low drinkers and in exceeds-threshold drinkers regardless of age. CONCLUSIONS Higher achievement with older age and pubertal stage in general ability, abstraction, attention, emotion, and balance suggests continued functional development through adolescence, possibly supported by concurrently maturing frontal, limbic, and cerebellar brain systems. Determination of whether low scores by the exceeds-threshold group resulted from drinking or from other preexisting factors requires longitudinal study. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Ty Brumback
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego
| | - Susan F Tapert
- Psychology Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System
| | - Rosemary Fama
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | | | - Sandra A Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego
| | - Kevin Cummins
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego
| | | | | | | | - Michael D De Bellis
- Healthy Childhood Brain Development Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Stephen R Hooper
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina School of Medicine
| | | | - Tammy Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Bonnie J Nagel
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Sciences University
| | - B Nolan Nichols
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | | | | | - Kilian M Pohl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
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13
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Stening E, Persson J, Eriksson E, Wahlund LO, Zetterberg H, Söderlund H. Apolipoprotein E ϵ4 is positively related to spatial performance but unrelated to hippocampal volume in healthy young adults. Behav Brain Res 2015; 299:11-8. [PMID: 26581118 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.11.006] [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: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 10/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ϵ4 allele is known to be a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been linked to especially episodic memory decline and hippocampal atrophy in both healthy and demented elderly populations. In young adults, ϵ4 carriers have shown better performance in episodic memory compared to non-carriers. Spatial memory, however, has not been thoroughly assessed in relation to APOE in spite of its dependence on the hippocampus. In this study, we assessed the effect of APOE genotype on a variety of spatial and episodic memory tasks as well as hippocampal volume assessed through manual tracing in a sample of young adults (N=123). We also assessed whether potential effects were modulated by sex. The presence of one or more ϵ4 alleles had positive effects on spatial function and memory and object location memory, but no effect on word recognition. Men were superior to women in spatial function and memory but there were no sex differences in the other tasks. In spite of APOE ϵ4 carriers having superior performance in several memory tasks, no difference was found as a function of APOE genotype in hippocampal volume. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that APOE ϵ4 has a positive effect on spatial ability in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Stening
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jonas Persson
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elias Eriksson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lars-Olof Wahlund
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
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14
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Yasen AL, Raber J, Miller JK, Piper BJ. Sex, but not Apolipoprotein E Polymorphism, Differences in Spatial Performance in Young Adults. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2015; 44:2219-26. [PMID: 25750133 PMCID: PMC4561598 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-015-0497-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Revised: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine how sex and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype contribute to individual differences in spatial learning and memory. The associations of APOE genotype with neurocognitive function have been well studied among the elderly but less is known at earlier ages. Young adults (n = 169, 88 females) completed three neurocognitive tasks: mental rotation, spatial span, and Memory Island, a spatial navigation test. Males outperformed females on all three tasks: finding the hidden targets more quickly on Memory Island (Cohen's d = 0.62) and obtaining higher scores on mental rotation (d = 0.54) and spatial span (d = 0.37). In contrast, no significant effects of APOE were observed. The identified sex differences elaborate upon past literature documenting sexually dimorphic performance on specific neurobehavioral tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alia L Yasen
- Department of Psychology, Willamette University, Salem, OR, USA
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- Division of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Jeremy K Miller
- Department of Psychology, Willamette University, Salem, OR, USA
| | - Brian J Piper
- Department of Psychology, Willamette University, Salem, OR, USA.
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Husson University, Bangor, ME, 04401, USA.
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15
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Lawton CA, Czarnolewski MY, Eliot J. Laterality, sex, and everyday spatial behaviours: an exploratory analysis. Laterality 2015; 21:745-766. [DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2015.1081919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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16
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Wright L, Hardie SM. Left-handers look before they leap: handedness influences reactivity to novel Tower of Hanoi tasks. Front Psychol 2015; 6:58. [PMID: 25691878 PMCID: PMC4315011 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A sample of 203 task naïve left- and right-handed participants were asked to complete a combination of the 3- and 4-disk Towers of Hanoi (ToH), manipulating novelty and complexity. Self-reported state anxiety and latency to respond (initiation time) were recorded before each ToH. Novelty had a major effect on initiation time, particularly for left-handers. Left-handers had a longer latency to start and this was significantly longer on the first trial. Irrespective of hand-preference, initiation time reduced on the second trial, however, this was greatest for left-handers. Condition of task did not systematically influence initiation time for right handers, but did for left-handers. State anxiety was influenced by task novelty and complexity in a more complicated way. During the first trial, there was a significant handedness × number of disks interaction with left-handers having significantly higher state anxiety levels before the 3-disk ToH. This suggests that the initial reaction to this task for left-handers was not simply due to perceived difficulty. On their second trial, participants completing a novel ToH had higher state anxiety scores than those completing a repeated version. Overall, left-handers had a larger reduction in their state anxiety across trials. Relating to this, the expected strong positive correlation between state and trait anxiety was absent for left-handed females in their first tower presentation, but appeared on their second. This was driven by low trait anxiety individuals showing a higher state anxiety response in the first (novel) trial, supporting the idea that left-handed females respond to novelty in a way that is not directly a consequence of their trait anxiety. A possible explanation may be stereotype threat influencing the behavior of left-handed females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn Wright
- Evolutionary and Biological Approaches to Behaviour Research Group, Division of Psychology, Abertay UniversityDundee, UK
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17
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Sneider JT, Hamilton DA, Cohen-Gilbert JE, Crowley DJ, Rosso IM, Silveri MM. Sex differences in spatial navigation and perception in human adolescents and emerging adults. Behav Processes 2015; 111:42-50. [PMID: 25464337 PMCID: PMC4304985 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Revised: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Males typically outperform females on spatial tasks, beginning early in life and continuing into adulthood. This study aimed to characterize age and sex differences in human spatial ability using a virtual Water Maze Task (vWMT), which is based on the classic Morris water maze spatial navigation task used in rodents. Performance on the vWMT and on a task assessing visuospatial perception, Mental Rotations Test (MRT), was examined in 33 adolescents and 39 emerging adults. For the vWMT, significant effects of age and sex were observed for path length in the target region (narrower spatial sampling), and heading error, with emerging adults performing better than adolescents, and an overall male advantage. For the MRT, males scored higher than females, but only in emerging adulthood. Overall, sex differences in visuospatial perception (MRT) emerge differently from those observed on a classic navigation task, with age and sex-specific superior vWMT performance likely related to the use of more efficient strategies. Importantly, these results extend the developmental timeline of spatial ability characterization to include adolescent males and females performing a virtual version of the classic vWMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer T Sneider
- Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health, McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Derek A Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Julia E Cohen-Gilbert
- Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health, McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David J Crowley
- Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health, McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isabelle M Rosso
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marisa M Silveri
- Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health, McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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18
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de Jager CA, Dye L, de Bruin EA, Butler L, Fletcher J, Lamport DJ, Latulippe ME, Spencer JPE, Wesnes K. Criteria for validation and selection of cognitive tests for investigating the effects of foods and nutrients. Nutr Rev 2014; 72:162-79. [DOI: 10.1111/nure.12094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Celeste A de Jager
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine; University of Cape Town; Cape Town South Africa
| | - Louise Dye
- Institute of Psychological Sciences; Human Appetite Research Unit; University of Leeds; Leeds UK
| | | | - Laurie Butler
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences; University of Reading; Reading UK
| | - John Fletcher
- Research and Development, Nutrition; PepsiCo Europe; Berkshire UK
| | - Daniel J Lamport
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences; University of Reading; Reading UK
| | - Marie E Latulippe
- International Life Sciences Institute European Branch; Brussels Belgium
| | - Jeremy PE Spencer
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences; University of Reading; Reading UK
| | - Keith Wesnes
- Bracket Global; Goring-on-Thames UK
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology; Swinburne University; Melbourne Australia
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19
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Wilmott LA, Thompson LT. Sex- and dose-dependent effects of post-trial calcium channel blockade by magnesium chloride on memory for inhibitory avoidance conditioning. Behav Brain Res 2013; 257:49-53. [PMID: 24095881 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.09.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Revised: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Calcium influx through voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels is critical for many neuronal processes required for learning and memory. Persistent increases in cytosolic intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations in aging neurons are associated with learning impairments, while small transient subcellular changes in intracellular calcium concentrations play critical roles in neural plasticity in young neurons. In the present study, young male and female Fisher 344 × Brown Norway (FBN) hybrid rats were administered different doses of magnesium chloride (0.0, 100.0, or 200.0mg/kg, i.p.) following a single inhibitory avoidance training trial. Extracellular magnesium ions can non-specifically block voltage-gated calcium channels, and/or reduce the calcium conductance gated via glutamate and serine's activation of neuronal NMDA receptors. In our study, magnesium chloride dose-dependently enhanced memory compared to controls (significantly increased latency to enter a dark compartment previously paired with an aversive stimulus) when tested 48 h later as compared to controls. A leftward shift in the dose response curve for memory enhancement by magnesium chloride was observed for male compared to female rats. These findings provide further insights into calcium-dependent modulation of aversive memory, and should be considered when assessing the design of effective treatment options for both male and female patients with dementia or other memory problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynda A Wilmott
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Cognition & Neuroscience Program, School of Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 800 West Campbell Road, GR4.1, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
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20
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Acevedo SF. Why, After Chemotherapy, is it Necessary to Assess Memory Using Translational Testing? BREAST CANCER-BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH 2012; 6:181-90. [PMID: 23226022 PMCID: PMC3512448 DOI: 10.4137/bcbcr.s10293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
As the number of cancer survivors rises, so does the importance of understanding what happens post-chemotherapy. The evidence is clear that chemotherapy affects not only cancer cells, but also healthy cells including neurons, leading to long-term cognitive dysfunction in a large portion of survivors. In order to understand the mechanism of action and in the hope of reducing the potential neurocognitive side effects of chemotherapy, pre-clinical testing should be used more effectively. However, the field is lacking translation from clinical studies to animal models. Spatial learning and memory paradigms based on the water maze, the most commonly used rodent model, are available for translational testing in humans and could overcome this weakness. There is an overwhelming need in the field to understand whether the water maze is an adequate model for post-chemotherapy impairments or whether other paradigms should be used. This is of great importance for the understanding of the mechanisms, side effects of new drugs, appropriate pharmacotherapy, and confounding factors related to chemotherapy treatment regiments. This review is very important to both basic scientists and clinicians determining how translational paradigms are critical to future cancer research, as well as what type of paradigms are appropriate in our technically advancing society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Summer F Acevedo
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, Psychology Program, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, Puerto Rico
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21
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Ayala-Feliciano M, Pons-Valerio JJ, Pons-Madera J, Acevedo SF. The Relationship between Visuospatial Memory and Coping Strategies in Breast Cancer Survivors. BREAST CANCER-BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH 2011; 5:117-30. [PMID: 21695096 PMCID: PMC3117625 DOI: 10.4137/bcbcr.s6957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Background: In the US there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors (BCSs), most of whom have required some type of intensive treatment. How individuals cope with the treatment process may relate to why neurocognitive problems arise. Method: We explored the impact of treatment for breast cancer (BC) on performance of the Memory Island task, both on working memory and on the general index of cognitive performance in relation to coping strategies of BCSs compared to age-matched controls. Results: The evidence obtained suggests a reduced performance in visuospatial memory in BCSs. Those who used emotional coping strategies displayed reduced performance in visuospatial learning and immediate memory. Those women who used problem-focused coping strategies performed better in those tasks measuring psychomotor speed, general intelligence, and delayed visuospatial memory. Conclusions: It is concluded that further investigation of the relationship between coping strategies and performance on visuospatial tasks may provide useful information on residual levels of neurocognitive deficits and psychosocial adaptation in BCSs.
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