Decreased neural specialization in old adults on a working memory task

Doris Payer, Christy Marshuetz, Brad Sutton, Andy Hebrank, Robert C. Welsh, Denise C. Park

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Compelling evidence shows that there is decreased neural specialization in the ventral visual cortex in older adults under passive viewing conditions. We assessed whether such specialization would be maintained on a working memory task and whether decreased specialization co-occurred with increased prefrontal activations. Participants encoded three faces or houses and maintained the set across an 8-s interval. Results provided evidence for less specialization of faces and houses in older adults than in younger adults, while the middle and inferior frontal cortex showed increased activation in elders compared with the young.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)487-491
Number of pages5
JournalNeuroreport
Volume17
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2006

Keywords

  • Aging
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive aging
  • Compensation
  • Dedifferentiation
  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging
  • Fusiform face area
  • Parahippocampal place area

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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