Structural Neural Correlates of Double Decision Performance in Older Adults.

Jessica N Kraft,Gene E Alexander,Michael Marsiske,Ronald Cohen,Hyun Song,Nicole D Evangelista,Steven Dekosky,Samuel Wu,Alejandro Albizu,Hanna K Hausman,Eric Porges,Andrew O’Shea,Samantha G Smith,Adam J Woods,Georg A Hishaw,Nicole R Nissim,Pradyumna K Bharadwaj,Emanuel Boutzoukas,Emily J Van Etten

doi:10.3389/fnagi.2020.00278

Abstract

Speed of processing is a cognitive domain that encompasses the speed at which an individual can perceive a given stimulus, interpret the information, and produce a correct response. Speed of processing has been shown to decline more rapidly than other cognitive domains in an aging population, suggesting that this domain is particularly vulnerable to cognitive aging (Chee et al., 2009). However, given the heterogeneity of neuropsychological measures used to assess the domains underpinning speed of processing, a diffuse pattern of brain regions has been implicated. The current study aims to investigate the structural neural correlates of speed of processing by assessing cortical volume and speed of processing scores on the POSIT Double Decision task within a healthy older adult population (N = 186; mean age = 71.70 ± 5.32 years). T1-weighted structural images were collected via a 3T Siemens scanner. The current study shows that less cortical thickness in right temporal, posterior frontal, parietal and occipital lobe structures were significantly associated with poorer Double Decision scores. Notably, these include the lateral orbitofrontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, superior, transverse, and inferior temporal gyrus, temporal pole, insula, parahippocampal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, superior and inferior parietal gyrus and lateral occipital gyrus. Such findings suggest that speed of processing performance is associated with a wide array of cortical regions that provide unique contributions to performance on the Double Decision task.

Highlights

Older adults over the age of 65 are one of the largest and fastest growing populations in the United States (Goode et al, 1998)
Poorer Double Decision scores were significantly associated with less cortical thickness in several brain regions within the right posterior frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes (FDR < 0.05) (Figure 2)
While prior functional studies of the Useful Field of View (UFOV)/Double Decision paradigm found bilateral activation associated with performance, our findings demonstrate right lateralization of structures associated with performance (Ross et al, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

Older adults over the age of 65 are one of the largest and fastest growing populations in the United States (Goode et al, 1998). Numerous studies have shown that, even within healthy older adults, declines in cognition occur in numerous domains, including memory, executive functioning, and speed of processing (Goode et al, 1998). Numerous studies to date suggest that age-related declines in speed of processing are significantly associated with a loss of functional instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) as demonstrated by poorer timed IADL scores, higher self-reported difficulties in IADL, poorer everyday problem solving, greater medical expenditures and greater motor vehicular crash risk (Goode et al, 1998; Edwards et al, 2005, 2014; Wolinsky et al, 2009; Bezdicek et al, 2016; Aust and Edwards, 2017). Given the substantial literature regarding the impact of speed of processing declines on functional abilities, there is a profound need for effective interventions for this cognitive domain

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