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P2‐095: Working memory activation in mild cognitive impairment and older adults with cognitive complaints
Author(s) -
West John D.,
Saykin Andrew J.,
Wishart Heather A.,
Flashman Laura A.,
Rabin Laura A.,
Pare Nadia,
Santulli Robert B.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2008.05.1168
Subject(s) - working memory , neuropsychology , audiology , posterior cingulate , statistical parametric mapping , psychology , executive functions , n back , cognition , voxel , medicine , analysis of variance , neuroscience , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology
non-verbal fluid type intelligence (Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices test [RPM]). From this sample, 52 individuals (aged 69/70) with an age 11 IQ between 85 and 115 and who had a RPM of 34 (group mean 0.5 SD), representing those who had cognitive decline (decliners, n 27) or a score of 41 (group mean 0.5 SD) representing successful ageing (sustainers, n 25) were recruited into this functional MRI study. Working memory was assessed with a two-condition N-Back task. Fifteen participants failed to complete the task because of an inability to correct vision, feeling unwell or scoring below 50% correct for the 2-Back task. Results: In a comparison of the high load working memory task (2-Back) with rest, extensive differences in activation were found in the cognitive decliners compared with the sustainers in the frontal, parietal and cerebellar regions. Conclusions: These data add to the evidence that prefrontal cortical regions are important in maintaining working memory as people age. Parietal and cerebellar regions are also involved in working memory; however their importance in successful cognitive ageing is unclear.