scholarly journals Age-Related Changes in Visual Processing Speed

Author(s):  
Lauren Gollnick ◽  
Kassidy Ha ◽  
Stephanie Pawek ◽  
Zoe Struder ◽  
Amber Zadravecz
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan E. Peelle

Changes in sensory systems are common as we get older, and become more likely with increasing age. In the auditory system, age-related changes are seen in domains such as auditory sensitivity, temporal processing, and spatial localization, which have significant effects on speech understanding. In vision, age related changes are seen in contrast sensitivity, scotopic processing, and visual processing speed, which have consequences for activities such as reading and driving. In addition to hearing and vision, aging is associated with changes in smell, taste, and balance. Beyond simple perceptual processing, age-related sensory changes can increase cognitive demands, requiring greater involvement of domain-general cognitive processes during perception that reduce resources available for other operations. Capturing individual variability in sensory changes and their consequences is an important part of understanding normal and pathological aging.


Author(s):  
◽  
Amber Zadravecz ◽  
Kassidy Ha ◽  
Lauren Gollnick ◽  
Stephanie Pawek ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina E. Webb ◽  
Patricio M. Viera Perez ◽  
David A. Hoagey ◽  
Chen Gonen ◽  
Karen M. Rodrigue ◽  
...  

AbstractHealthy aging is accompanied by degraded white matter connectivity, which has been suggested to contribute to cognitive dysfunction observed in aging, especially in relation to fluid measures of cognition. Prior research linking white matter microstructure and cognition, however, has largely been limited to major association and heteromodal white matter tracts. The optic radiations (OR), which transfer visual sensory-perceptual information from thalamic lateral geniculate nucleus to primary visual cortex, are generally considered lower-level input-relay white matter tracts. However, the role of this prominent white-matter visual relay system in supporting higher-order cognition is understudied, especially in regard to healthy aging. The present study used deterministic tractography to isolate OR fractional anisotropy (FA) in 130 participants aged 20-94 to assess age effects on OR tract white matter connectivity. We also examined associations between age-related differences in the OR and cognitive domains involving visual processing speed, and visual- and non-visual executive function (EF). OR microstructural integrity, as indexed by FA, exhibited a significant linear decrease across age. A significant interaction between age, FA, and cognitive domain on cognitive task performance indicated that in older age, more degraded OR white matter was associated with poorer visual EF, but no age-related association between FA in the OR and visual processing speed or verbal EF was observed. Findings suggest the optic radiations are not merely sensory-perceptual relays, but also influence higher-order visual cognition differentially with aging.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (15) ◽  
pp. 2617-2625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann-Marie Low ◽  
Signe Vangkilde ◽  
Julijana le Sommer ◽  
Birgitte Fagerlund ◽  
Birte Glenthøj ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder which frequently persists into adulthood. The primary goal of the current study was to (a) investigate attentional functions of stimulant medication-naïve adults with ADHD, and (b) investigate the effects of 6 weeks of methylphenidate treatment on these functions.MethodsThe study was a prospective, non-randomized, non-blinded, 6-week follow-up design with 42 stimulant medication-naïve adult patients with ADHD, and 42 age and parental education-matched healthy controls. Assessments included measures of visual attention, based on Bundesen's Theory of Visual Attention (TVA), which yields five precise measures of aspects of visual attention; general psychopathology; ADHD symptoms; dyslexia screening; and estimates of IQ.ResultsAt baseline, significant differences were found between patients and controls on three attentional parameters: visual short-term memory capacity, threshold of conscious perception, and to a lesser extent visual processing speed. Secondary analyses revealed no significant correlations between TVA parameter estimates and severity of ADHD symptomatology. At follow-up, significant improvements were found specifically for visual processing speed; this improvement had a large effect size, and remained when controlling for re-test effects, IQ, and dyslexia screen performance. There were no significant correlations between changes in visual processing speed and changes in ADHD symptomatology.ConclusionsADHD in adults may be associated with deficits in three distinct aspects of visual attention. Improvements after 6 weeks of medication are seen specifically in visual processing speed, which could represent an improvement in alertness. Clinical symptoms and visual attentional deficits may represent separate aspects of ADHD in adults.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 119-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrike K. Blumenfeld ◽  
Scott R. Schroeder ◽  
Susan C. Bobb ◽  
Max R. Freeman ◽  
Viorica Marian

Abstract Recent research suggests that bilingual experience reconfigures linguistic and nonlinguistic cognitive processes. We examined the relationship between linguistic competition resolution and nonlinguistic cognitive control in younger and older adults who were either bilingual or monolingual. Participants heard words in English and identified the referent among four pictures while eye-movements were recorded. Target pictures (e.g., cab) appeared with a phonological competitor picture (e.g., cat) and two filler pictures. After each eye-tracking trial, priming probes assessed residual activation and inhibition of target and competitor words. When accounting for processing speed, results revealed that age-related changes in activation and inhibition are smaller in bilinguals than in monolinguals. Moreover, younger and older bilinguals, but not monolinguals, recruited similar inhibition mechanisms during word identification and during a nonlinguistic Stroop task. Results suggest that, during lexical access, bilinguals show more consistent competition resolution and recruitment of cognitive control across the lifespan than monolinguals.


2018 ◽  
Vol 70 ◽  
pp. 30-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marleen Haupt ◽  
Christian Sorg ◽  
Natan Napiórkowski ◽  
Kathrin Finke

Author(s):  
Elham Hassanshahi ◽  
Zahra Asadollahi ◽  
Hossein Azin ◽  
Jalal Hassanshahi ◽  
Amin Hassanshahi ◽  
...  

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is defined as an inflammatory, progressive, and autoimmune disease in the central nervous system, recognized by its subsequent demyelination and neurodegeneration. Cognitive disorders are among the most severe problems in patients with MS, affecting their personal and professional life. This study is aimed to evaluate memory and visual learning, visual processing speed, and spatial perception in MS patients based on age, gender, and level of education. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 42 MS patients (based on McDonald’s criteria). The level of disability in patients was assessed using EDSS, and cognitive performance was evaluated by the use of judgment of line orientation (JLO), symbol digit modalities test (SDMT), and revised brief visuospatial memory test (BVMT-R). In this study, patients were within the age range of 20-51 years, 73.8% of which were female, and 61.9% had academic degrees. According to the classes of independent variables (gender, education level), no significant difference was observed in the mean scores of dependent variables (JLO, SDMT, and BVMR-T scores) (P>0.05). In addition, age as a confounding variable had no impact (P>0.05). In addition, gender and level of education had no significant interaction (P>0.05). According to the results of the study, age, gender, and education level had no significant effect on memory and visual learning, visual processing speed, and spatial perception.


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