Age-related prefrontal over-recruitment in semantic memory retrieval: Evidence from successful face naming and the tip-of-the-tongue state

We used fMRI to assess the neural correlates of autobiographical, semantic, and episodic memory retrieval in healthy young and older adults. Participants were tested with an event-related paradigm in which retrieval demand was the only factor varying between trials. A spatio-temporal partial least square analysis was conducted to identify the main patterns of activity characterizing the groups across conditions. We identified brain regions activated by all three memory conditions relative to a control condition. This pattern was expressed equally in both age groups and replicated previous findings obtained in a separate group of younger adults. We also identified regions whose activity differentiated among the different memory conditions. These patterns of differentiation were expressed less strongly in the older adults than in the young adults, a finding that was further confirmed by a barycentric discriminant analysis. This analysis showed an age-related dedifferentiation in autobiographical and episodic memory tasks but not in the semantic memory task or the control condition. These findings suggest that the activation of a common memory retrieval network is maintained with age, whereas the specific aspects of brain activity that differ with memory content are more vulnerable and less selectively engaged in older adults. Our results provide a potential neural mechanism for the well-known age differences in episodic/autobiographical memory, and preserved semantic memory, observed when older adults are compared with younger adults.

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A common functional brain network for autobiographical, episodic, and semantic memory retrieval

NeuroImage ◽

10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.08.066 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

pp. 865-874 ◽

Cited By ~ 138

Author(s):

Hana Burianova ◽

Anthony R. McIntosh ◽

Cheryl L. Grady

Keyword(s):

Semantic Memory ◽

Memory Retrieval ◽

Brain Network ◽

Functional Brain ◽

Functional Brain Network

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rCBF to the hippocampal complex covaries with superior semantic memory retrieval

Behavioural Brain Research ◽

10.1016/j.bbr.2007.04.017 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 181 (2) ◽

pp. 262-269 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Christine Whatmough ◽

Howard Chertkow

Keyword(s):

Semantic Memory ◽

Memory Retrieval ◽

Hippocampal Complex

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The convergence and divergence of episodic and semantic functions across lateral parietal cortex

10.1101/2020.12.08.416123 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Gina F. Humphreys ◽

JeYoung Jung ◽

Matthew A. Lambon Ralph

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Parietal Cortex ◽

Memory Retrieval ◽

Task Difficulty ◽

Structural Connectivity ◽

Angular Gyrus ◽

Episodic Retrieval ◽

Semantic Retrieval ◽

White Matter Connectivity

AbstractSeveral decades of neuropsychological and neuroimaging research have highlighted the importance of lateral parietal cortex (LPC) across a myriad of cognitive domains. Yet, despite the prominence of this region the underlying function of LPC remains unclear. Two domains that have placed particular emphasis on LPC involvement are semantic memory and episodic memory retrieval. From each domain, sophisticated models have been proposed as to the underlying function, as well as the more domain-general that LPC is engaged by any form of internally-directed cognition (episodic and semantic retrieval both being examples if this process). Here we directly address these alternatives using a combination of fMRI and DTI white-matter connectivity data. The results show that ventral LPC (angular gyrus) was positively engaged during episodic retrieval but disengaged during semantic memory retrieval. In addition, the level of activity negatively varied with task difficulty in the semantic task whereas episodic activation was independent of difficulty. In contrast, dorsal LPC (intraparietal sulcus) showed domain general activation that was positively correlated with task difficulty. In terms of structural connectivity, a dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior gradient of connectivity was found to different processing networks (e.g., mid-angular gyrus (AG) connected with episodic retrieval). We propose a unifying model in which LPC as a whole might share a common underlying function (e.g., multimodal buffering) and variations across subregions arise due to differences in the underlying white matter connectivity.

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Concrete and Abstract Information in Semantic and Episodic Memory

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1977.41.1.31 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 31-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Werner Wippich

Keyword(s):

Episodic Memory ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Memory Retrieval ◽

Dual Code ◽

Verbal Code ◽

Abstract Nouns ◽

Concrete Words ◽

Concrete Target

In the present study abstract or concrete target nouns had to be retrieved from semantic memory within 1 min. after the definitions of the nouns had been presented to subjects (Brown and McNeill's paradigm). Following the definition session 22 subjects were unexpectedly asked to recall the target nouns from episodic memory. Semantic memory as well as episodic memory retrieval was better for concrete than for abstract nouns. These results could not be explained in terms of a higher adequacy of definitions for the concrete words. The results seem to support those theories of memory which postulate a dual-code representation of information, especially a verbal code and an imagery code.

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Recognizing and Naming Faces: Aging, Memory Retrieval, and the Tip of the Tongue State

Journal of Gerontology ◽

10.1093/geronj/45.6.p215 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 45 (6) ◽

pp. P215-P226 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

E. A. Maylor

Keyword(s):

Memory Retrieval ◽

Tip Of The Tongue

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Evidence for parallel semantic memory retrieval in dual tasks

Memory & Cognition ◽

10.3758/bf03193502 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 35 (7) ◽

pp. 1685-1699 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Rico Fischer ◽

Jeff Miller ◽

Torsten Schubert

Keyword(s):

Semantic Memory ◽

Memory Retrieval ◽

Dual Tasks

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Age-Related Changes in the Functional Network Underlying Specific and General Autobiographical Memory Retrieval: A Pivotal Role for the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0082385 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. e82385 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Pénélope Martinelli ◽

Marco Sperduti ◽

Anne-Dominique Devauchelle ◽

Sandrine Kalenzaga ◽

Thierry Gallarda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autobiographical Memory ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Memory Retrieval ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Pivotal Role ◽

Functional Network ◽

Age Related ◽

Age Related Changes

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Marijuana Effects on Semantic Memory: Verification of Common and Uncommon Category Members

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1984.55.2.503 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 55 (2) ◽

pp. 503-512 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Robert I. Block ◽

J. R. Wittenborn

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Real World ◽

Memory Retrieval ◽

World Knowledge ◽

Advance Information ◽

Normal Difference

Effects of smoked marijuana containing 10 mg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and placebo on retrieval of simple, real-world knowledge in semantic memory were studied. In Exp. 1, subjects (36 men, mean age 23.8 yr.) decided whether an item (e.g. apple) belonged to a specified category (e.g., fruit). In Exp. 2, subjects (40 men, mean age 22.8 yr.) decided whether two items (e.g., apple, peach) belonged to the same category. Marijuana did not alter the normal difference in reaction time between common and uncommon examples of categories, suggesting that effects of marijuana on associations do not derive directly from underlying, general alterations of semantic memory retrieval. Marijuana's effects were not influenced by the demands on memory retrieval or by providing advance information relevant to the required decisions, suggesting memory retrieval was not impaired by this dose of marijuana.

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