Executive Functions and Neurocognitive Aging

Spreng, R. Nathan; Shoemaker, Leena N.; Turner, Gary R.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-803676-1.00008-8

Cited by 29 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 117 publications

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“…We examined patterns of age-related brain change associated with discrete executive control processes including working memory, inhibition and task switching [69,70]. Consistent with the findings of the earlier review, we observed a general pattern of increased functional brain activity for older versus younger adults.…”

Section: Domain-specific Changessupporting

confidence: 71%

“…Again, the most robust age difference observed across all three control processes was enhanced recruitment of prefrontal brain regions for older versus younger adults. This age-related difference in PFC activity was greater at higher levels of working memory demand, suggesting that increased recruitment of these regions may reflect greater reliance on, or strategic engagement of, working memory resources in older adulthood [69].…”

Section: Domain-specific Changesmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Domain specific changes include greater recruitment of frontal brain regions during complex cognitive tasks, reduced hemispheric lateralization in anterior brain regions [e.g. 80,94] and evidence for enhanced activation in regions typically engaged by young adults [68][69][70]. Taken together, these domain specific patterns of agerelated brain changes reflect a global pattern of neural dedifferentiation, suggesting older adults have reduced capacity to recruit specialized neural circuits associated with discreet processing operations [93].…”

Section: Summary Of Functional Brain Changes In Agingmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Structure and function of the aging brain

Spreng¹,

Turner²

2018

Preprint

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In this opening section of the Aging Brain we set the stage for the contributions that follow by providing a broad overview of the latest advances in our understanding of how the brain changes, both structurally and functionally, across the adult lifespan. We leave domain-specific aspects of brain aging to the subsequent chapters, where contributors will provide more targeted accounts of brain change germane to their particular focus on the aging brain. Here we review the extant, and rapidly expanding literature to provide a brief overview and introduction to structural and functional change that occur with typical brain aging. We begin the chapter by looking back, to review some of the early discoveries about how the brain changes across the adult lifespan. We close the chapter by looking forward, towards new discoveries that challenge our core assumptions about the inevitability or irreversibility of age-related brain changes. These sections serve as bookends for the core of the chapter where we review the latest research advances that continue to uncover the mysteries of the aging brain. Spreng, R.N., Turner, G.R. (2019, forthcoming) Structure and function of the aging brain. In G Samanez-Larkin (Ed.) The aging brain. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.

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Section: Domain-specific Changessupporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Domain-specific Changesmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Summary Of Functional Brain Changes In Agingmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Structure and function of the aging brain

Spreng¹,

Turner²

2018

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…In two follow-up meta-analyses we examined age-differences specifically in the domain of executive control processing. We examined patterns of age-related brain change associated with discrete executive control processes including working memory, inhibition and task switching [69,70]. Consistent with the findings of the earlier review, we observed a general pattern of increased functional brain activity for older versus younger adults.…”

Section: Domain-specific Changessupporting

confidence: 76%

Structure and function of the aging brain.

Spreng¹,

Turner²

2019

The Aging Brain: Functional Adaptation Across Adulthood.

Self Cite

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In this opening chapter of The Aging Brain, we set the stage for the contributions that follow by providing a broad overview of the latest advances in our understanding of how the brain changes, both structurally and functionally, across the adult lifespan. We leave domain-specific aspects of brain aging to the subsequent chapters, where contributors provide more targeted accounts of brain change germane to their particular focus on the aging brain.Here we review the extant, and rapidly expanding, literature to provide a brief overview and introduction to structural and functional change that occur with typical brain aging. We begin the chapter by looking back to review some of the early discoveries about how the brain changes across the adult lifespan. We close the chapter by looking forward, toward new discoveries that challenge our core assumptions about the inevitability or irreversibility of age-related brain changes. These sections serve as bookends for the core of the chapter where, we review the latest research advances that continue to uncover the mysteries of the aging brain.

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“…One possible explanation for the call for wider networks to resolve conflict during drowsiness would be the need for involvement of extended neural resources to solve the same task, as seen previously in older adults when they are matched in performance to younger adults (Reuter-Lorenz and Cappell, 2008;Spreng et al, 2017). Convergent evidence is drawn from cognitive control studies, where the frontoparietal control networks are further recruited with higher cognitive load (Liang et al, 2016;Fransson et al, 2018), tasks possibly reflecting the higher need for neural resources.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Decreased alertness reconfigures cognitive control networks

Canales‐Johnson

Beerendonk

Blain

et al. 2019

Preprint

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18Humans are remarkably capable of adapting their behaviour flexibly based on rapid situational 19 changes: a capacity termed cognitive control. Intuitively, cognitive control is thought to be affected by 20 the state of alertness, for example, when sleepy or drowsy, we feel less capable of adequately 21implementing effortful cognitive tasks. Although scientific investigations have focused on the effects 22 of sleep deprivation and circadian time, little is known about how natural fluctuations in alertness in 23 the regular awake state affect cognitive control. Here we combined a conflict task in the auditory 24 domain with neurodynamics -EEG recordings-to test how neural and behavioural markers of conflict 25processing are affected by fluctuations in arousal. Using a novel computational method, we 26 segregated alert and drowsy trials from a three hour testing session and observed that, although 27 participants were generally slower, the typical slower responses to conflicting information, compared 28to non-conflicting information, was still intact, as well as the effect of previous trials (i.e. conflict 29 adaptation). However, the behaviour was not matched by the typical neural markers of cognitive 30control -local medio-frontal theta-band power changes-, that participants showed during full alertness. 31Instead, a decrease in power of medio-frontal theta was accompanied by an increase in long-range 32 information sharing (connectivity) between brain regions in the same frequency band. The results 33show the resilience of the human cognitive control system when affected by internal fluctuations of 34 our arousal state and suggests a neural compensatory mechanism when the system is under 35physiological pressure due to diminished alertness. 36

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Executive Functions and Neurocognitive Aging

Cited by 29 publications

References 117 publications

Structure and function of the aging brain

Structure and function of the aging brain

Structure and function of the aging brain.

Decreased alertness reconfigures cognitive control networks

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