Disentangling Theories of Cognitive Aging: Mouse Tracking Differences Between Younger and Older Adults' Performance in a Stroop Task

AbstractStress can be a risk factor for mental and physical health. We investigated the role of social burden as a potential stressor in older age and its associations with cognitive aging (i.e., within the domains inhibition and cognitive flexibility of executive functioning). Eighty-three older adults (N = 38 male, mean age = 74.0 ± 5.7 years, body-mass index = 25.5 ± 4.1 kg/m2) aged 64 years or older participated. Cognitive flexibility and inhibition were assessed by means of a Trail-Making Test (TMT) and a Stroop task. Perceived levels of social burden and perceived stress in general were assessed via standardized questionnaires. Furthermore, diurnal cortisol profiles were assessed. Overall, older participants showed lower cognitive performance than the younger (both inhibition and cognitive flexibility; p < .044). However, this association did not remain significant when adjusting for multiple comparisons. Social burden was highly correlated with perceived stress, highlighting its importance as a stressor (p < .001). Furthermore, participants who reported higher levels of perceived stress showed lower performance in the TMT as a measure for cognitive flexibility (p < .001). Moreover, social burden was associated with cognitive flexibility, which was assessed by means of the TMT (p = .031). However, this association did not remain significant when using the adjusted α-level. Furthermore, we found that total diurnal cortisol output was a mediator for the relationship between age and inhibition, which was assessed by means of a Stroop task. At last, we found that the mediating role of cortisol interacts with social burden in the way that especially in younger age, high levels of social burden are associated with higher cortisol levels and, therefore, with lower cognitive performance. We conclude that it is important to consider social burden as an additional stressor in older age which is associated with cognitive aging.

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Activity Engagement in Cognitive Aging: A Review of the Evidence

Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders ◽

10.1044/nnsld23.1.35 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yvonne Rogalski ◽

Muriel Quintana

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Social Activity ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Activity Engagement ◽

Age Related ◽

Age Related Cognitive Decline

The population of older adults is rapidly increasing, as is the number and type of products and interventions proposed to prevent or reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline. Advocacy and prevention are part of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA’s) scope of practice documents, and speech-language pathologists must have basic awareness of the evidence contributing to healthy cognitive aging. In this article, we provide a brief overview outlining the evidence on activity engagement and its effects on cognition in older adults. We explore the current evidence around the activities of eating and drinking with a discussion on the potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, alcohol, and coffee. We investigate the evidence on the hypothesized neuroprotective effects of social activity, the evidence on computerized cognitive training, and the emerging behavioral and neuroimaging evidence on physical activity. We conclude that actively aging using a combination of several strategies may be our best line of defense against cognitive decline.

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Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast

Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications ◽

10.1027/1864-1105/a000130 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 53-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Annie Lang ◽

Nancy Schwartz ◽

Sharon Mayell

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Attention And Memory ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Media Messages ◽

Two Factors ◽

The Difference

The study reported here compared how younger and older adults processed the same set of media messages which were selected to vary on two factors, arousing content and valence. Results showed that older and younger adults had similar arousal responses but different patterns of attention and memory. Older adults paid more attention to all messages than did younger adults. However, this attention did not translate into greater memory. Older and younger adults had similar levels of memory for slow-paced messages, but younger adults outperformed older adults significantly as pacing increased, and the difference was larger for arousing compared with calm messages. The differences found are in line with predictions made based on the cognitive-aging literature.

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EEG Measures of Value-Directed Strategic Processing in Older Adults With and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.937 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 292-293

Author(s):

Lydia Nguyen ◽

Shraddha Shende ◽

Daniel Llano ◽

Raksha Mudar

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Spectral Power ◽

Group Differences ◽

Cognitive Resources ◽

Alpha Power ◽

Strategic Processing ◽

Unique Word

Abstract Value-directed strategic processing is important for daily functioning. It allows selective processing of important information and inhibition of irrelevant information. This ability is relatively preserved in normal cognitive aging, but it is unclear if mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects strategic processing and its underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. The current study examined behavioral and EEG spectral power differences between 16 cognitively normal older adults (CNOA; mean age: 74.5 ± 4.0 years) and 16 individuals with MCI (mean age: 77.1 ± 4.3 years) linked to a value-directed strategic processing task. The task used five unique word lists where words were assigned high- or low-value based on letter case and were presented sequentially while EEG was recorded. Participants were instructed to recall as many words as possible after each list to maximize their score. Results revealed no group differences in recall of low-value words, but individuals with MCI recalled significantly fewer high-value words and total number of words relative to CNOA. Group differences were observed in theta and alpha bands for low-value words, with greater synchronized theta power for CNOA than MCI and greater desynchronized alpha power for MCI than CNOA. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that more effortful neural processing of low-value words in the MCI group, relative to the CNOA group, allowed them to match their behavioral performance to the CNOA group. Individuals with MCI appear to utilize more cognitive resources to inhibit low-value information and might show memory-related benefits if taught strategies to focus on high-value information processing.

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Social Engagement and Episodic Memory in Non-Hispanic Black and White Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1101 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 343-343

Author(s):

Abbey Hamlin ◽

A Zarina Kraal ◽

Laura Zahodne

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Older Adults ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Future Research ◽

Social Activities ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Significant Positive Association ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Social engagement may confer cognitive benefits in older adulthood, but studies have typically been restricted to largely non-Hispanic White (NHW) samples. Levels of social engagement vary across race such that NHW report larger social networks, more frequent participation in social activities, and greater social support than non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB). Associations between social engagement and cognition may also vary by race, but research is sparse. The current cross-sectional study examined associations between different aspects of social engagement and episodic memory performance, as well as interactions between social engagement and race among NHB and NHW participants in the Michigan Cognitive Aging Project (N = 247; 48.4% NHB; age = 64.19 ± 2.92). Social engagement (network size, activities, support) was self-reported. Episodic memory was a z-score composite of immediate, delayed, and recognition trials of a list-learning task. Separate hierarchical linear regression models quantified interactions between race and each of the three social engagement variables on episodic memory, controlling for sociodemographics, depressive symptoms, and health conditions. Results showed a main effect of more frequent social activity on better episodic memory, as well as an interaction between race and social support indicating a significant positive association in NHB but not NHW. These preliminary findings suggest that participating in social activities may be equally beneficial for episodic memory across NHB and NHW older adults and that social support may be particularly beneficial for NHB. Future research is needed to determine the potential applications of these results in reducing cognitive inequalities through the development of culturally-relevant interventions.

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Increased Glucose Activity in Subgenual Anterior Cingulate and Hippocampus of High Performing Older Adults, Despite Amyloid Burden

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-210063 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Wyllians Vendramini Borelli ◽

Eduardo Leal-Conceição ◽

Michele Alberton Andrade ◽

Nathalia Bianchini Esper ◽

Paula Kopschina Feltes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Amyloid Deposition ◽

Cognitive Testing ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

High Performing ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

Definition Of

Background: Individuals at 80 years of age or above with exceptional memory are considered SuperAgers (SA), an operationalized definition of successful cognitive aging. SA showed increased thickness and altered functional connectivity in the anterior cingulate cortex as a neurobiological signature. However, their metabolic alterations are yet to be uncovered. Objective: Herein, a metabolic (FDG-PET), amyloid (PIB-PET), and functional (fMRI) analysis of SA were conducted. Methods: Ten SA, ten age-matched older adults (C80), and ten cognitively normal middle-aged (C50) adults underwent cognitive testing and multimodal neuroimaging examinations. Anterior and posterior regions of the cingulate cortex and hippocampal areas were primarily examined, then subregions of anterior cingulate were segregated. Results: The SA group showed increased metabolic activity in the left and right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sACC, p < 0.005 corrected, bilateral) and bilateral hippocampi (right: p < 0.0005 and left: p < 0.005, both corrected) as compared to that in the C80 group. Amyloid deposition was above threshold in 30% of SA and C80 (p > 0.05). The SA group also presented decreased connectivity between right sACC and posterior cingulate (p < 0.005, corrected) as compared to that of the C80 group. Conclusion: These results support the key role of sACC and hippocampus in SA, even in the presence of amyloid deposition. It also suggests that sACC may be used as a potential biomarker in older adults for exceptional memory ability. Further longitudinal studies measuring metabolic biomarkers may help elucidate the interaction between these areas in the cognitive aging process.

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Accelerated Epigenetic Age in Normal Cognitive Aging of Korean Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Biological Research For Nursing ◽

10.1177/1099800420983896 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 109980042098389

Author(s):

Jongmin Park ◽

Chang Won Won ◽

Leorey N. Saligan ◽

Youn-Jung Kim ◽

Yoonju Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dna Methylation ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Test Results ◽

Cohen’S D ◽

Epigenetic Age ◽

Epigenetic Age Acceleration ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Background: Epigenetic age acceleration has been studied as a promising biomarker of age-related conditions, including cognitive aging. This pilot study aims to explore potential cognitive aging-related biomarkers by investigating the relationship of epigenetic age acceleration and cognitive function and by examining the epigenetic age acceleration differences between successful cognitive aging (SCA) and normal cognitive aging (NCA) among Korean community-dwelling older adults (CDOAs). Methods: We used data and blood samples of Korean CDOAs from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. The participants were classified into two groups, SCA (above the 50th percentile in all domains of cognitive function) and NCA. The genome-wide DNA methylation profiling array using Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip was used to calculate the following: the DNA methylation age, universal epigenetic age acceleration, intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA), and extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA). We also used Pearson correlation analysis and independent t-tests to analyze the data. Results: Universal age acceleration correlated with the Frontal Assessment Battery test results ( r = −0.42, p = 0.025); the EEAA correlated with the Word List Recognition test results ( r = −0.41, p = 0.027). There was a significant difference between SCA and NCA groups in IEAA ( p = 0.041, Cohen’s d = 0.82) and EEAA ( p = 0.042, Cohen’s d = 0.78). Conclusions: Epigenetic age acceleration can be used as a biomarker for early detection of cognitive decline in Korean community-dwelling older adults. Large longitudinal studies are warranted.

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Resting‐State EEG Microstates Parallel Age‐Related Differences in Allocentric Spatial Working Memory Performance

Brain Topography ◽

10.1007/s10548-021-00835-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Adeline Jabès ◽

Giuliana Klencklen ◽

Paolo Ruggeri ◽

Christoph M. Michel ◽

Pamela Banta Lavenex ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Working Memory ◽

Resting State ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Age Related

AbstractAlterations of resting-state EEG microstates have been associated with various neurological disorders and behavioral states. Interestingly, age-related differences in EEG microstate organization have also been reported, and it has been suggested that resting-state EEG activity may predict cognitive capacities in healthy individuals across the lifespan. In this exploratory study, we performed a microstate analysis of resting-state brain activity and tested allocentric spatial working memory performance in healthy adult individuals: twenty 25–30-year-olds and twenty-five 64–75-year-olds. We found a lower spatial working memory performance in older adults, as well as age-related differences in the five EEG microstate maps A, B, C, C′ and D, but especially in microstate maps C and C′. These two maps have been linked to neuronal activity in the frontal and parietal brain regions which are associated with working memory and attention, cognitive functions that have been shown to be sensitive to aging. Older adults exhibited lower global explained variance and occurrence of maps C and C′. Moreover, although there was a higher probability to transition from any map towards maps C, C′ and D in young and older adults, this probability was lower in older adults. Finally, although age-related differences in resting-state EEG microstates paralleled differences in allocentric spatial working memory performance, we found no evidence that any individual or combination of resting-state EEG microstate parameter(s) could reliably predict individual spatial working memory performance. Whether the temporal dynamics of EEG microstates may be used to assess healthy cognitive aging from resting-state brain activity requires further investigation.

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Strategies and cognitive reserve to preserve lexical production in aging

GeroScience ◽

10.1007/s11357-021-00367-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Monica Baciu ◽

Sonja Banjac ◽

Elise Roger ◽

Célise Haldin ◽

Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Individual Variability ◽

Future Research ◽

Aging Effects ◽

Main Hypothesis ◽

Compensatory Strategies ◽

Age Related ◽

Complementary Domain

AbstractIn the absence of any neuropsychiatric condition, older adults may show declining performance in several cognitive processes and among them, in retrieving and producing words, reflected in slower responses and even reduced accuracy compared to younger adults. To overcome this difficulty, healthy older adults implement compensatory strategies, which are the focus of this paper. We provide a review of mainstream findings on deficient mechanisms and possible neurocognitive strategies used by older adults to overcome the deleterious effects of age on lexical production. Moreover, we present findings on genetic and lifestyle factors that might either be protective or risk factors of cognitive impairment in advanced age. We propose that “aging-modulating factors” (AMF) can be modified, offering prevention opportunities against aging effects. Based on our review and this proposition, we introduce an integrative neurocognitive model of mechanisms and compensatory strategies for lexical production in older adults (entitled Lexical Access and Retrieval in Aging, LARA). The main hypothesis defended in LARA is that cognitive aging evolves heterogeneously and involves complementary domain-general and domain-specific mechanisms, with substantial inter-individual variability, reflected at behavioral, cognitive, and brain levels. Furthermore, we argue that the ability to compensate for the effect of cognitive aging depends on the amount of reserve specific to each individual which is, in turn, modulated by the AMF. Our conclusion is that a variety of mechanisms and compensatory strategies coexist in the same individual to oppose the effect of age. The role of reserve is pivotal for a successful coping with age-related changes and future research should continue to explore the modulating role of AMF.

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