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The Impact of Age-Related Changes on Working Memory Functional Activity

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Abstract

This work investigated associations of age-related brain atrophy and functional neural networks identified using multivariate analyses of BOLD fMRI data in young and elder participants (young, N = 37; mean age = 25; elders, N = 15; mean age = 74). Two networks were involved in retaining increasing loads of verbal information in working memory. Network utilizations were used to test associations between function and indices of grey matter volume changes using voxel based morphometry. Global changes in brain volume were not associated with the secondary network. Lower regional grey matter volume in the left pre-central gyrus within the primary network was associated with increased secondary network utilization independent of age group. Decreased regional grey matter volume was associated with increased age only in the elders. Increased secondary network expression was associated with increased slope of reaction times across memory load, in the elders. These results support the theory of neural compensation, that elder participants recruit additional neural resources to maintain task performance in the face of age-related decreases in regional grey matter volume.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported by National Institute on Aging grant 5R01AG026158-05 awarded to Y.S.

Disclosure statement

The authors hereby declare that they have no current, past, or anticipated conflicts of interest, whether real or potential. All participants supplied written informed consent in accord with Columbia University Medical Center IRB procedures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th St, P&S 16, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Jason Steffener, Adam M. Brickman, Brian C. Rakitin, Yunglin Gazes & Yaakov Stern

  2. Department of Neurology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 710 West 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Jason Steffener, Adam M. Brickman, Brian C. Rakitin & Yaakov Stern

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051Riverside Dr, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Yaakov Stern

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  1. Jason Steffener
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  2. Adam M. Brickman
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Correspondence to Jason Steffener.

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Steffener, J., Brickman, A.M., Rakitin, B.C. et al. The Impact of Age-Related Changes on Working Memory Functional Activity. Brain Imaging and Behavior 3, 142–153 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-008-9056-x

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