Cognitive Aging

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2019) | Viewed by 20624

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A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Interests: memory; encoding; aging; retrieval; language; brain

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Given the global demographic shift towards an older aged population, there is a pressing need to understand how aging affects cognition. This Special Issue aims to highlight research investigating the fundamental processes and mechanisms underlying neural and cognitive changes associated with aging.

Contributions are encouraged that provide a bridge between cognitive ability and brain function across the lifespan. We invite submissions that feature research in the area of memory, language, attention, perception, or emotion, with a focus on emphasizing the mechanisms underlying cognitive changes. Studies are invited that a) describe the cognitive behaviours differentially affected by aging, b) present novel ways of assessing physiological and/or cognitive performance, c) explore ways of changing those affected behaviours, or d) present methods to target and ameliorate deficits associated with aging.

Studies are invited that use either cognitive or neiroimaging methods, and technology, that will further our understanding of cognitive aging.

Dr. Myra Fernandes
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cognition
  • aging
  • memory
  • attention
  • encoding strategies
  • fMRI
  • neuroimaging

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2748 KiB  
Article
Investigating Age-Related Neural Compensation During Emotion Perception Using Electroencephalography
by Tao Yang, Caroline Di Bernardi Luft, Pei Sun, Joydeep Bhattacharya and Michael J. Banissy
Brain Sci. 2020, 10(2), 61; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/brainsci10020061 - 23 Jan 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3352
Abstract
Previous research suggests declines in emotion perception in older as compared to younger adults, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we address this by investigating how “face-age” and “face emotion intensity” affect both younger and older participants’ behavioural and neural responses [...] Read more.
Previous research suggests declines in emotion perception in older as compared to younger adults, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we address this by investigating how “face-age” and “face emotion intensity” affect both younger and older participants’ behavioural and neural responses using event-related potentials (ERPs). Sixteen young and fifteen older adults viewed and judged the emotion type of facial images with old or young face-age and with high- or low- emotion intensities while EEG was recorded. The ERP results revealed that young and older participants exhibited significant ERP differences in two neural clusters: the left frontal and centromedial regions (100–200 ms stimulus onset) and frontal region (250–900 ms) when perceiving neutral faces. Older participants also exhibited significantly higher ERPs within these two neural clusters during anger and happiness emotion perceptual tasks. However, while this pattern of activity supported neutral emotion processing, it was not sufficient to support the effective processing of facial expressions of anger and happiness as older adults showed reductions in performance when perceiving these emotions. These age-related changes are consistent with theoretical models of age-related changes in neurocognitive abilities and may reflect a general age-related cognitive neural compensation in older adults, rather than a specific emotion-processing neural compensation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Aging)
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13 pages, 697 KiB  
Article
Using an Overlapping Time Interval Strategy to Study Diagnostic Instability in Mild Cognitive Impairment Subtypes
by David Facal, Joan Guàrdia-Olmos, Arturo X. Pereiro, Cristina Lojo-Seoane, Maribel Peró and Onésimo Juncos-Rabadán
Brain Sci. 2019, 9(9), 242; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/brainsci9090242 - 19 Sep 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2656
Abstract
(1) Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a diagnostic label in which stability is typically low. The aim of this study was to examine temporal changes in the diagnosis of MCI subtypes by using an overlapping-time strategy; (2) Methods: The study included 435 [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a diagnostic label in which stability is typically low. The aim of this study was to examine temporal changes in the diagnosis of MCI subtypes by using an overlapping-time strategy; (2) Methods: The study included 435 participants aged over 50 years with subjective cognitive complaints and who completed at least one follow-up evaluation. The probability of transition was estimated using Bayesian odds ratios; (3) Results: Within the different time intervals, the controls with subjective cognitive complaints represented the largest proportion of participants, followed by sda-MCI at baseline and in the first five intervals of the follow-up, but not in the last eight intervals. The odds ratios indicated higher odds of conversion to dementia in sda-MCI and mda-MCI groups relative to na-MCI (e.g., interval 9–15 months—sda-MCI OR = 9 and mda-MCI OR = 3.36; interval 27–33—sda-MCI OR = 16 and mda-MCI = 5.06; interval 42–48—sda-MCI OR = 8.16 and mda-MCI = 3.45; interval 45–51—sda-MCI OR = 3.31 and mda-MCI = 1); (4) Conclusions: Notable patterns of instability consistent with the current literature were observed. The limitations of a prospective approach in the study of MCI transitions are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Aging)
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13 pages, 1168 KiB  
Article
Active Navigation in Virtual Environments Benefits Spatial Memory in Older Adults
by Melissa E. Meade, John G. Meade, Hélène Sauzeon and Myra A. Fernandes
Brain Sci. 2019, 9(3), 47; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/brainsci9030047 - 26 Feb 2019
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5691
Abstract
We investigated age differences in memory for spatial routes that were either actively or passively encoded. A series of virtual environments were created and presented to 20 younger (Mean age = 19.71) and 20 older (Mean age = 74.55) adults, through a cardboard [...] Read more.
We investigated age differences in memory for spatial routes that were either actively or passively encoded. A series of virtual environments were created and presented to 20 younger (Mean age = 19.71) and 20 older (Mean age = 74.55) adults, through a cardboard viewer. During encoding, participants explored routes presented within city, park, and mall virtual environments, and were later asked to re-trace their travelled routes. Critically, participants encoded half the virtual environments by passively viewing a guided tour along a pre-selected route, and half through active exploration with volitional control of their movements by using a button press on the viewer. During retrieval, participants were placed in the same starting location and asked to retrace the previously traveled route. We calculated the percentage overlap in the paths travelled at encoding and retrieval, as an indicator of spatial memory accuracy, and examined various measures indexing individual differences in their cognitive approach and visuo-spatial processing abilities. Results showed that active navigation, compared to passive viewing during encoding, resulted in a higher accuracy in spatial memory, with the magnitude of this memory enhancement being significantly larger in older than in younger adults. Regression analyses showed that age and score on the Hooper Visual Organizational test predicted spatial memory accuracy, following the passive and active encoding of routes. The model predicting accuracy following active encoding additionally included the distance of stops from an intersection as a significant predictor, illuminating a cognitive approach that specifically contributes to memory benefits in following active navigation. Results suggest that age-related deficits in spatial memory can be reduced by active encoding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Aging)
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9 pages, 367 KiB  
Article
Age-Related Deficits in Memory Encoding and Retrieval in Word List Free Recall
by Dorina Cadar, Marius Usher and Eddy J. Davelaar
Brain Sci. 2018, 8(12), 211; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/brainsci8120211 - 30 Nov 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4707
Abstract
Although ageing is known to affect memory, the precise nature of its effect on retrieval and encoding processes is not well understood. Here, we examine the effect of ageing on the free recall of word lists, in which the semantic structure of word [...] Read more.
Although ageing is known to affect memory, the precise nature of its effect on retrieval and encoding processes is not well understood. Here, we examine the effect of ageing on the free recall of word lists, in which the semantic structure of word sequences was manipulated from unrelated words to pairs of associated words with various separations (between pair members) within the sequence. We find that ageing is associated with reduced total recall, especially for sequences with associated words. Furthermore, we find that the degree of semantic clustering (controlled for chance clustering) shows an age effect and that it interacts with the distance between the words within a pair. The results are consistent with the view that age effects in memory are mediated both by retrieval and by encoding processes associated with frontal control and working memory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Aging)
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Review

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11 pages, 206 KiB  
Review
A Homeostatic Model of Subjective Cognitive Decline
by Akiko Mizuno, Maria Ly and Howard J. Aizenstein
Brain Sci. 2018, 8(12), 228; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/brainsci8120228 - 19 Dec 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3643
Abstract
Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) is possibly one of the earliest detectable signs of dementia, but we do not know which mental processes lead to elevated concern. In this narrative review, we will summarize the previous literature on the biomarkers and functional neuroanatomy of [...] Read more.
Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) is possibly one of the earliest detectable signs of dementia, but we do not know which mental processes lead to elevated concern. In this narrative review, we will summarize the previous literature on the biomarkers and functional neuroanatomy of SCD. In order to extend upon the prevailing theory of SCD, compensatory hyperactivation, we will introduce a new model: the breakdown of homeostasis in the prediction error minimization system. A cognitive prediction error is a discrepancy between an implicit cognitive prediction and the corresponding outcome. Experiencing frequent prediction errors may be a primary source of elevated subjective concern. Our homeostasis breakdown model provides an explanation for the progression from both normal cognition to SCD and from SCD to advanced dementia stages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Aging)
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