Age-related differences in brain activation in the default-network during successful memory formation
Description: Healthy aging is accompanied by a reduction in performance in standard laboratory tests of memory. Moreover, older individuals worry about declines in their memory and report that reductions in memory functioning negatively impact their quality of life. Thus, it is critical to gain a better understanding of age-related differences in memory, particularly since current demographic trends predict an increase in the proportion of older adults in Canada in coming years. Previous studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a commonly used brain imaging technique, indicate two consistent age-related differences in brain activation during memory formation (e.g., learning a list of pictures). First, older adults under-activate regions of visual cortex compared to young adults, which has been interpreted as a reduction in processing of visual details with age that contributes to decreased memory. A second pattern of age-related differences is that older adults over-activate a set of regions known as the default-network compared to young adults. The significance of this age-related increase in activation in default-network is currently unclear. Previous research has implicated the default-network in internally-directed cognitive processes, such as focusing on thoughts and feelings. Based on this prior work, the current research project will test the hypothesis that age-related differences in brain activation reflect a change in attention during learning, such that older adults focus more on the personal relevance and meaning of learning material at the expense of specific perceptual details. This study will be important in uncovering the brain mechanisms underlying the finding that older adults focus more on personal relevance, and that they may learn information better if it is presented in a way that is meaningful to them.
Amount: CA$90,000
Funding type: fellowship
Funder scheme: CIHR Fellowship
Start date: 2017-09-01
End date: 2019-08-31
Investigator: David Maillet
Institution: Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care (Toronto)
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: 152432_1
OpenAlex ID: G3712945668