scholarly journals Preserved wake-dependent cortical excitability dynamics predict cognitive fitness beyond age-related brain alterations

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Van Egroo ◽  
Justinas Narbutas ◽  
Daphne Chylinski ◽  
Pamela Villar González ◽  
Pouya Ghaemmaghami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Cortical Function ◽  
Structural Modifications ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽  
Positive Factor ◽  
Sensitive Marker

AbstractAge-related cognitive decline arises from alterations in brain structure as well as in sleep-wake regulation. Here, we investigated whether preserved wake-dependent regulation of cortical function could represent a positive factor for cognitive fitness in aging. We quantified cortical excitability dynamics during prolonged wakefulness as a sensitive marker of age-related alteration in sleep-wake regulation in 60 healthy older individuals (50–69 y; 42 women). Brain structural integrity was assessed with amyloid-beta- and tau-PET, and with MRI. Participants’ cognition was investigated using an extensive neuropsychological task battery. We show that individuals with preserved wake-dependent cortical excitability dynamics exhibit better cognitive performance, particularly in the executive domain which is essential to successful cognitive aging. Critically, this association remained significant after accounting for brain structural integrity measures. Preserved dynamics of basic brain function during wakefulness could therefore be essential to cognitive fitness in aging, independently from age-related brain structural modifications that can ultimately lead to dementia.

scholarly journals Preserved wake-dependent cortical excitability dynamics predict cognitive fitness beyond age-related brain alterations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Van Egroo ◽  
Justinas Narbutas ◽  
Daphne Chylinski ◽  
Pamela Villar González ◽  
Pouya Ghaemmaghami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Cortical Function ◽  
Structural Modifications ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽  
Positive Factor ◽  
Sensitive Marker

AbstractAge-related cognitive decline arises from alterations in brain integrity as well as in sleep-wake regulation. Here, we investigated whether preserved sleep-wake regulation of cortical function during wakefulness could represent a positive factor for cognitive fitness in aging, independently of early age-related changes in brain structure. We quantified cortical excitability dynamics during prolonged wakefulness as a sensitive marker of age-related alteration in sleep-wake regulation in 60 healthy older individuals (50-69y; 42 women). Brain structural integrity was assessed with amyloid-beta- and tau-PET, and with MRI. Participants’ cognition was extensively investigated. We show that individuals with preserved cortical excitability dynamics exhibit better cognitive performance, particularly in the executive domain, which is essential to successful cognitive aging. Critically, this association remained significant after accounting for brain integrity measures. Preserved dynamics of basic brain function during wakefulness could be essential to cognitive fitness in aging, independently from age-related brain structural modifications that can ultimately lead to dementia.

Activity Engagement in Cognitive Aging: A Review of the Evidence

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Gene Expression Profile in Different Age Groups and Its Association with Cognitive Function in Healthy Malay Adults in Malaysia

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1611
Author(s):  
Nur Fathiah Abdul Abdul Sani ◽  
Ahmad Imran Zaydi Amir Amir Hamzah ◽  
Zulzikry Hafiz Abu Abu Bakar ◽  
Yasmin Anum Mohd Mohd Yusof ◽  
Suzana Makpol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Genetic Network ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

The mechanism of cognitive aging at the molecular level is complex and not well understood. Growing evidence suggests that cognitive differences might also be caused by ethnicity. Thus, this study aims to determine the gene expression changes associated with age-related cognitive decline among Malay adults in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 healthy Malay subjects, aged between 28 and 79, and recruited around Selangor and Klang Valley, Malaysia. Gene expression analysis was performed using a HumanHT-12v4.0 Expression BeadChip microarray kit. The top 20 differentially expressed genes at p < 0.05 and fold change (FC) = 1.2 showed that PAFAH1B3, HIST1H1E, KCNA3, TM7SF2, RGS1, and TGFBRAP1 were regulated with increased age. The gene set analysis suggests that the Malay adult’s susceptibility to developing age-related cognitive decline might be due to the changes in gene expression patterns associated with inflammation, signal transduction, and metabolic pathway in the genetic network. It may, perhaps, have important implications for finding a biomarker for cognitive decline and offer molecular targets to achieve successful aging, mainly in the Malay population in Malaysia.

Do Professors Better Maintain Cognitive Functioning in Older Age?

GeroPsych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-17
Author(s):  
Damaris Aschwanden ◽  
Vera Schumacher ◽  
Kathrin Zimmermann ◽  
Christina Werner ◽  
Mathias Allemand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Perceptual Speed ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Intellectual Engagement ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Average Education ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Abstract. Research on cognitive aging demonstrates age-related cognitive decline. Education is a protective factor against cognitive decline, but few studies have examined the cognitive development of highly educated individuals. This study compared the cognitive performance and intellectual engagement of retired professors ( N = 47, Mage = 72.9) and individuals with average education ( N = 236, Mage = 72.7) over 5 years. Although the highly educated sample showed better performance in perceptual speed and working memory, cognitive performance was rather stable over time in both samples. Interestingly, high intellectual engagement enabled individuals with average education to keep up with the performance of the highly educated sample on perceptual speed. These findings raise the question whether intellectual engagement is more beneficial than years of education in perceptual speed.

scholarly journals New Methods, Old Brains—A Systematic Review on the Effects of tDCS on the Cognition of Elderly People

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Siegert ◽  
Lukas Diedrich ◽  
Andrea Antal
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Brain State ◽  
Novel Treatments ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

The world's population is aging. With this comes an increase in the prevalence of age-associated diseases, which amplifies the need for novel treatments to counteract cognitive decline in the elderly. One of the recently discussed non-pharmacological approaches is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). TDCS delivers weak electric currents to the brain, thereby modulating cortical excitability and activity. Recent evidence suggests that tDCS, mainly with anodal currents, can be a powerful means to non-invasively enhance cognitive functions in elderly people with age-related cognitive decline. Here, we screened a recently developed tDCS database (http://tdcsdatabase.com) that is an open access source of published tDCS papers and reviewed 16 studies that applied tDCS to healthy older subjects or patients suffering from Alzheimer's Disease or pre-stages. Evaluating potential changes in cognitive abilities we focus on declarative and working memory. Aiming for more standardized protocols, repeated tDCS applications (2 mA, 30 min) over the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) of elderly people seem to be one of the most efficient non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) approaches to slow progressive cognitive deterioration. However, inter-subject variability and brain state differences in health and disease restrict the possibility to generalize stimulation methodology and increase the necessity of personalized protocol adjustment by means of improved neuroimaging techniques and electrical field modeling.

scholarly journals Evidence-Based Tools for Dietary Assessments in Nutrition Epidemiology Studies for Dementia Prevention

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
K.A. Abbott ◽  
J.M. Posma ◽  
I. Garcia-Perez ◽  
C. Udeh-Momoh ◽  
S. Ahmadi-Abhari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Dementia Prevention ◽  
Modifiable Factor ◽  
Disease Indicators ◽  
Epidemiology Studies ◽  
Nutrition Epidemiology ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Increasing evidence proposes diet as a notable modifiable factor and viable target for the reduction of Alzheimer’s Disease risk and age-related cognitive decline. However, assessment of dietary exposures is challenged by dietary capture methods that are prone to misreporting and measurement errors. The utility of -omics technologies for the evaluation of dietary exposures has the potential to improve reliability and offer new insights to pre-disease indicators and preventive targets in cognitive aging and dementia. In this review, we present a focused overview of metabolomics as a validation tool and framework for investigating the immediate or cumulative effects of diet on cognitive health.

scholarly journals State Anxiety Is Related to Cortisol Response During Cognitive Testing for Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 233372142091477
Author(s):  
Ann Pearman ◽  
Shevaun D. Neupert ◽  
MacKenzie L. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Cognitive testing situations can be stressful for both younger and older adults, but threats of cognitive evaluation may be particularly salient among anxious older individuals as they tend to be more concerned than younger adults about their cognitive abilities and age-related cognitive decline. We examined age-related differences in the effect of anxiety on cortisol responses during cognitive testing in a sample of 27 younger ( M = 19.8) and 29 older ( M = 71.2) adults. Older adults with higher anxiety also had higher during-task cortisol (suggesting higher reactivity to testing) than older adults with lower anxiety and young adults. There was no effect of anxiety on cortisol for younger adults. Simultaneously examining subjective (state anxiety) and physiological (cortisol response) indicators of threat during cognitive testing appears to be especially important for older adults with higher state anxiety. The results are important for understanding cortisol reactivity, particularly in older adults. Researchers who administer cognitive tests to older adults and clinicians who work with older adults with cognitive concerns and/or anxiety may want to consider how they present their material.

Don’t Forget the Little Brain: A Framework for Incorporating the Cerebellum Into the Understanding of Cognitive Aging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. Bernard
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Advanced Age ◽  
Cortical Function ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Cerebellar Function ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Brain And Behavior ◽  
And Behavior

With the rapidly growing population of older adults, an improved understanding of brain and cognitive aging is critical, given the impacts on health, independence, and quality of life. To this point, we have a well-developed literature on the cortical contributions to cognition in advanced age. However, while this work has been foundational for our understanding of brain and behavior in older adults, subcortical contributions, particularly those from the cerebellum, have not been integrated into these models and frameworks. Incorporating the cerebellum into models of cognitive aging is an important step for moving the field forward. There has also been recent interest in this structure in Alzheimer’s Disease, indicating that such work may be beneficial to our understanding of neurodegenerative disease. Here, I provide an updated overview of the cerebellum in advanced age, and propose that it serves as a critical source of scaffolding or reserve for cortical function. Age-related impacts on cerebellar function further impact cortical processing, perhaps resulting in many of the activation patterns commonly seen in aging.

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