scholarly journals Rapid phonotactic constraint learning in aging: Evidence from speech errors

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel Muylle ◽  
Eleonore Huguette M. Smalle ◽  
Robert Hartsuiker
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Speech Errors ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Order Constraints ◽  
Constraint Learning ◽  
Implicit And Explicit ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Older adults are able to implicitly pick up structural regularities in the environment in a relatively unaffected way despite age-related cognitive decline. Although there is extensive evidence for this observation in the domain of motor skill learning, it is not clear whether this is also true for aspects of language learning. In this study, we investigate the effect of aging on implicitly learning novel phonotactic constraints in the native spoken language. During four sessions on consecutive days, a group of fifteen young (18-25 years) and fifteen healthy older (74-82 years) Dutch-speaking adults were asked to rapidly recite sequences of syllables conform Dutch phonotactics (e.g., siet mieng kief hien). Within the setting of the experiment, two unrestricted consonants in the Dutch spoken language were constrained to an onset or coda position depending on the medial vowel. Analysis of speech errors revealed rapid adherence to the novel second- order constraints in the older group. Strikingly, the effect mirrors earlier developmental work with children using the same paradigm (Smalle, Muylle, Szmalec, & Duyck, 2017). The findings are discussed in light of possible age-dependent differences in implicit and explicit cognitive subsystems underlying human skill learning.

Sleeping to Dream, Develop, and Resist Decline

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine Hughes ◽  
Payal Khosla ◽  
Lauren Pisani ◽  
Goffredina Spanò ◽  
Jamie O. Edgin
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Family ◽  
Potential Factor ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline ◽  
The Impact

Sleep quality is increasingly recognized as a potential factor influencing healthy cognitive and neural development across the lifespan. It is becoming more recognized as an important factor for persons with Down syndrome, and this chapter describes the most recent literature regarding sleep disturbance, its correlates, and findings from animal models in this population. The authors discuss the relation of poor sleep to behavioral, brain, and cognitive dysfunction and highlight the family consequences for altered sleep in children with Down syndrome. These pervasive sleep deficits have the potential to derail cognitive development during critical periods for language learning and could also exacerbate age-related cognitive decline. The authors hope that this compilation of evidence regarding sleep deficits in persons with Down syndrome will help facilitate more treatment studies for sleep disorders in this population, including treatments aimed at poor sleep in infants, as well as mid-adulthood, which may lessen or delay the impact of the pathological progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Methodological challenges to sleep research are discussed, and future directions for this field are highlighted.

scholarly journals LPC-DHA/EPA-Enriched Diets Increase Brain DHA and Modulate Behavior in Mice That Express Human APOE4

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah B. Scheinman ◽  
Dhavamani Sugasini ◽  
Monay Zayed ◽  
Poorna C. R. Yalagala ◽  
Felecia M. Marottoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Diet ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Krill Oil ◽  
Object Recognition Test ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Negative Results ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Compared with APOE3, APOE4 is associated with greater age-related cognitive decline and higher risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, development of supplements that target APOE genotype-modulated processes could provide a great benefit for the aging population. Evidence suggests a link between APOE genotype and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); however, clinical studies with current DHA supplements have produced negative results in dementia. The lack of beneficial effects with current DHA supplements may be related to limited bioavailability, as the optimal form of DHA for brain uptake is lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-DHA. We previously developed a method to enrich the LPC-DHA content of krill oil through lipase treatment (LT-krill oil), which resulted in fivefold higher enrichment in brain DHA levels in wild-type mice compared with untreated krill oil. Here, we evaluated the effect of a control diet, diet containing krill oil, or a diet containing LT-krill oil in APOE3- and APOE4-targeted replacement mice (APOE-TR mice; treated from 4 to 12 months of age). We found that DHA levels in the plasma and hippocampus are lower in APOE4-TR mice and that LT-krill oil increased DHA levels in the plasma and hippocampus of both APOE3- and APOE4-TR mice. In APOE4-TR mice, LT-krill oil treatment resulted in higher levels of the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A and improved performance on the novel object recognition test. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that LPC-DHA/EPA-enriched krill oil can increase brain DHA and improve memory-relevant behavior in mice that express APOE4. Therefore, long-term use of LT-krill oil supplements may on some level protect against age-related neurodegeneration.

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.

Implicit and Explicit Knowledge in Second Language Learning, Testing and Teaching

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayo Reinders ◽  
Rosemary Erlam ◽  
JeneferVE Philp ◽  
Shawn Loewen ◽  
Catherine Elder
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Explicit Knowledge ◽  
Implicit And Explicit

scholarly journals The TOMM40 ‘523’ polymorphism in disease risk and age of symptom onset in two independent cohorts of Parkinson’s disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan C. Bakeberg ◽  
Madison E. Hoes ◽  
Anastazja M. Gorecki ◽  
Frances Theunissen ◽  
Abigail L. Pfaff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Symptom Onset ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Australian Cohort ◽  
Progression Markers ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

AbstractAbnormal mitochondrial function is a key process in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The central pore-forming protein TOM40 of the mitochondria is encoded by the translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 40 homologue gene (TOMM40). The highly variant ‘523’ poly-T repeat is associated with age-related cognitive decline and age of onset in Alzheimer’s disease, but whether it plays a role in modifying the risk or clinical course of PD it yet to be elucidated. The TOMM40 ‘523’ allele length was determined in 634 people with PD and 422 healthy controls from an Australian cohort and the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort, using polymerase chain reaction or whole genome sequencing analysis. Genotype and allele frequencies of TOMM40 ‘523’ and APOE ε did not differ significantly between the cohorts. Analyses revealed TOMM40 ‘523’ allele groups were not associated with disease risk, while considering APOE ε genotype. Regression analyses revealed the TOMM40 S/S genotype was associated with a significantly later age of symptom onset in the PPMI PD cohort, but not after correction for covariates, or in the Australian cohort. Whilst variation in the TOMM40 ‘523’ polymorphism was not associated with PD risk, the possibility that it may be a modifying factor for age of symptom onset warrants further investigation in other PD populations.

scholarly journals Targeting impaired nutrient sensing with repurposed therapeutics to prevent or treat age-related cognitive decline and dementia: A systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 ◽  
pp. 101302
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kioussis ◽  
Camilla S.L. Tuttle ◽  
Daniel S. Heard ◽  
Brian K. Kennedy ◽  
Nicola T. Lautenschlager ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Nutrient Sensing ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related 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.

scholarly journals Multimodal measurement approach to identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment: study protocol for a cross-sectional trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e046879
Author(s):  
Bernhard Grässler ◽  
Fabian Herold ◽  
Milos Dordevic ◽  
Tariq Ali Gujar ◽  
Sabine Darius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Classification Accuracy ◽  
Multimodal Approach ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

IntroductionThe diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), that is, the transitory phase between normal age-related cognitive decline and dementia, remains a challenging task. It was observed that a multimodal approach (simultaneous analysis of several complementary modalities) can improve the classification accuracy. We will combine three noninvasive measurement modalities: functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electroencephalography and heart rate variability via ECG. Our aim is to explore neurophysiological correlates of cognitive performance and whether our multimodal approach can aid in early identification of individuals with MCI.Methods and analysisThis study will be a cross-sectional with patients with MCI and healthy controls (HC). The neurophysiological signals will be measured during rest and while performing cognitive tasks: (1) Stroop, (2) N-back and (3) verbal fluency test (VFT). Main aims of statistical analysis are to (1) determine the differences in neurophysiological responses of HC and MCI, (2) investigate relationships between measures of cognitive performance and neurophysiological responses and (3) investigate whether the classification accuracy can be improved by using our multimodal approach. To meet these targets, statistical analysis will include machine learning approaches.This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first study that applies simultaneously these three modalities in MCI and HC. We hypothesise that the multimodal approach improves the classification accuracy between HC and MCI as compared with a unimodal approach. If our hypothesis is verified, this study paves the way for additional research on multimodal approaches for dementia research and fosters the exploration of new biomarkers for an early detection of nonphysiological age-related cognitive decline.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the local Ethics Committee (reference: 83/19). Data will be shared with the scientific community no more than 1 year following completion of study and data assembly.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04427436, registered on 10 June 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04427436.

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