The Effects of Useful Field of View Training on Brain Activity and Connectivity

Abstract Objectives Useful Field of View training (UFOVt) is an adaptive computerized cognitive intervention that improves visual attention and transfers to maintained health and everyday functioning in older adults. Although its efficacy is well established, the neural mechanisms underlying this intervention are unknown. This pilot study used functional MRI (fMRI) to explore neural changes following UFOVt. Method Task-driven and resting-state fMRI were used to examine changes in brain activity and connectivity in healthy older adults randomized to 10 hr of UFOVt (n = 13), 10 hr of cognitively stimulating activities (CSA; n = 11), or a no-contact control (NC; n = 10). Results UFOVt resulted in reduced task-driven activity in the majority of regions of interest (ROIs) associated with task performance, CSA resulted in reduced activity in one ROI, and there were no changes within the NC group. Relative to NC, UFOVt reduced activity in ROIs involved in effortful information processing. There were no other significant between-group task-based differences. Resting-state functional connectivity between ROIs involved in executive function and visual attention was strengthened following UFOVt compared with CSA and NC. Discussion UFOVt enhances connections needed for visual attention. Together with prior work, this study provides evidence that improvement of the brain’s visual attention efficiency is one mechanism underlying UFOVt.

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Higher-order resting state network association with the useful field of view task in older adults

GeroScience ◽

10.1007/s11357-021-00441-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Cheshire Hardcastle ◽

Hanna K. Hausman ◽

Jessica N. Kraft ◽

Alejandro Albizu ◽

Nicole D. Evangelista ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Resting State ◽

Higher Order ◽

Field Of View ◽

Useful Field Of View ◽

Resting State Network

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A-10 Role of Fluid Cognitive Status in the Association of Frontoparietal Control and Cingulo-Opercular Networks with the Useful Field of View Task: Implications for Cognitive Training in Aging

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acab062.28 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (6) ◽

pp. 1049-1050

Author(s):

Cheshire Hardcastle ◽

Hanna K Hausman ◽

Jessica N Kraft ◽

Alejandro Albizu ◽

Andrew O'Shea ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Resting State ◽

Network Connectivity ◽

Cognitive Status ◽

Field Of View ◽

Future Research ◽

Useful Field Of View ◽

The University ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Objective Training in a divided attention/speed-of-processing task called Useful Field of View (UFOV) reduced dementia risk in older adults. Higher connectivity in resting-state networks involved in attention/inter-network modulation (cingulo-opercular network(CON); frontoparietal control network(FPCN)) relates to better UFOV performance. Cognitive status relates to CON connectivity and UFOV performance. Therefore, it may be an important third variable to consider. This study assessed the mediation of cognitive status on the relationship between CON/FPCN connectivity and UFOV performance. Methods 266 healthy older adults (age M = 71.4, SD = 5.18; 92% Caucasian) were recruited through a clinical trial at the University of Florida and the University of Arizona. Cognitive status was defined by the NIH Toolbox Fluid Composite score, assessing processing speed, attention/inhibition, executive functioning, and working/episodic memory. UFOV via the Double Decision assessment was administered. Participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Average within-network connectivity of CON and FPCN were extracted with the CONN Toolboxv18b via SPM12. Mediation of cognitive status on the relationship between CON/FPCN connectivity and UFOV performance was assessed controlling for sex, age, education, and site. Results Cognitive status fully mediated the indirect effect of CON on UFOV [b = −0.1776; 95%CI (−0.3194, −0.0684)] Figure 1, and FPCN on UFOV [b = −0.1461; 95%CI (−0.2934, −0.0342)] Figure 2. Conclusions Cognitive status accounted in part for the association between CON/FPCN connectivity and UFOV performance. Older adults with higher cognitive status had stronger functional connectivity and better UFOV performance. Future research should explore the influence of cognitive status on functional connectivity after UFOV training, and investigate which cognitive domains are most influential.

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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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Error-related Persistence of Motor Activity in Resting-state Networks

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn_a_01323 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (12) ◽

pp. 1883-1901 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nicolò F. Bernardi ◽

Floris T. Van Vugt ◽

Ricardo Ruy Valle-Mena ◽

Shahabeddin Vahdat ◽

David J. Ostry

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Resting State ◽

Brain Connectivity ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽

Movement Training ◽

Movement Error ◽

Human Participants

The relationship between neural activation during movement training and the plastic changes that survive beyond movement execution is not well understood. Here we ask whether the changes in resting-state functional connectivity observed following motor learning overlap with the brain networks that track movement error during training. Human participants learned to trace an arched trajectory using a computer mouse in an MRI scanner. Motor performance was quantified on each trial as the maximum distance from the prescribed arc. During learning, two brain networks were observed, one showing increased activations for larger movement error, comprising the cerebellum, parietal, visual, somatosensory, and cortical motor areas, and the other being more activated for movements with lower error, comprising the ventral putamen and the OFC. After learning, changes in brain connectivity at rest were found predominantly in areas that had shown increased activation for larger error during task, specifically the cerebellum and its connections with motor, visual, and somatosensory cortex. The findings indicate that, although both errors and accurate movements are important during the active stage of motor learning, the changes in brain activity observed at rest primarily reflect networks that process errors. This suggests that error-related networks are represented in the initial stages of motor memory formation.

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Age-Related Differences in Resting-State EEG and Allocentric Spatial Working Memory Performance

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.704362 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Adeline Jabès ◽

Giuliana Klencklen ◽

Paolo Ruggeri ◽

Jean-Philippe Antonietti ◽

Pamela Banta Lavenex ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Working Memory ◽

Resting State ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Group Differences ◽

Age Group ◽

Eeg Activity ◽

Recording Conditions

During normal aging resting-state brain activity changes and working memory performance declines as compared to young adulthood. Interestingly, previous studies reported that different electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of resting-state brain activity may correlate with working memory performance at different ages. Here, we recorded resting-state EEG activity and tested allocentric spatial working memory in healthy young (20–30 years) and older (65–75 years) adults. We adapted standard EEG methods to record brain activity in mobile participants in a non-shielded environment, in both eyes closed and eyes open conditions. Our study revealed some age-group differences in resting-state brain activity that were consistent with previous results obtained in different recording conditions. We confirmed that age-group differences in resting-state EEG activity depend on the recording conditions and the specific parameters considered. Nevertheless, lower theta-band and alpha-band frequencies and absolute powers, and higher beta-band and gamma-band relative powers were overall observed in healthy older adults, as compared to healthy young adults. In addition, using principal component and regression analyses, we found that the first extracted EEG component, which represented mainly theta, alpha and beta powers, correlated with spatial working memory performance in older adults, but not in young adults. These findings are consistent with the theory that the neurobiological bases of working memory performance may differ between young and older adults. However, individual measures of resting-state EEG activity could not be used as reliable biomarkers to predict individual allocentric spatial working memory performance in young or older adults.

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Beyond the low frequency fluctuations morning and evening differences in human brain

10.31219/osf.io/pkrjs ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Magdalena Fafrowicz ◽

Bartosz Bohaterewicz ◽

Anna Ceglarek ◽

Monika Cichocka ◽

Koryna Lewandowska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Resting State ◽

Human Performance ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Basic Mechanism ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽

Circadian Typology

Human performance, alertness, and most biological functions express rhythmic fluctuations across a 24-hour-period. This phenomenon is believed to originate from differences in both circadian and homeostatic sleep-wake regulatory processes. Interactions between these processes result in time-of-day modulations of behavioral performance as well as brain activity patterns. Although the basic mechanism of the 24-hour clock is conserved across evolution, there are interindividual differences in the timing of sleep-wake cycles, subjective alertness and functioning throughout the day. The study of circadian typology differences has increased during the last few years, especially research on extreme chronotypes, which provide a unique way to investigate the effects of sleep-wake regulation on cerebral mechanisms. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we assessed the influence of chronotype and time-of-day on resting-state functional connectivity. 29 extreme morning- and 34 evening-type participants underwent two fMRI sessions: about one hour after wake-up time (morning) and about ten hours after wake-up time (evening), scheduled according to their declared habitual sleep-wake pattern on a regular working day. Analysis of obtained neuroimaging data disclosed only an effect of time of day on resting-state functional connectivity; there were different patterns of functional connectivity between morning and evening sessions. The results of our study showed no differences between extreme morning-type and evening-type individuals. We demonstrate that circadian and homeostatic influences on the resting-state functional connectivity have a universal character, unaffected by circadian typology.

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High definition-transcranial direct current stimulation changes older adults' subjective sleep and corresponding resting-state functional connectivity

International Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.05.002 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 129 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jing Sheng ◽

Chao Xie ◽

Dong-qiong Fan ◽

Xu Lei ◽

Jing Yu

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Direct Current ◽

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽

Resting State ◽

Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽

High Definition ◽

Subjective Sleep ◽

Direct Current Stimulation

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The effect of amyloid deposition on longitudinal resting-state functional connectivity in cognitively normal older adults

Alzheimer s Research & Therapy ◽

10.1186/s13195-019-0573-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chemin Lin ◽

Maria Ly ◽

Helmet T. Karim ◽

Wenjing Wei ◽

Beth E. Snitz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Networks ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Resting State ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽

Cognitive Changes ◽

Cognitively Normal

Abstract Background Pathological processes contributing to Alzheimer’s disease begin decades prior to the onset of clinical symptoms. There is significant variation in cognitive changes in the presence of pathology, functional connectivity may be a marker of compensation to amyloid; however, this is not well understood. Methods We recruited 64 cognitively normal older adults who underwent neuropsychological testing and biannual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), amyloid imaging with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-PET, and glucose metabolism (FDG)-PET imaging for up to 6 years. Resting-state MRI was used to estimate connectivity of seven canonical neural networks using template-based rotation. Using voxel-wise paired t-tests, we identified neural networks that displayed significant changes in connectivity across time. We investigated associations among amyloid and longitudinal changes in connectivity and cognitive function by domains. Results Left middle frontal gyrus connectivity within the memory encoding network increased over time, but the rate of change was lower with greater amyloid. This was no longer significant in an analysis where we limited the sample to only those with two time points. We found limited decline in cognitive domains overall. Greater functional connectivity was associated with better attention/processing speed and executive function (independent of time) in those with lower amyloid but was associated with worse function with greater amyloid. Conclusions Increased functional connectivity serves to preserve cognitive function in normal aging and may fail in the presence of pathology consistent with compensatory models.

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