Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22262
Appears in Collections:Psychology Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: Age differences in speed of processing are partially mediated by differences in axonal integrity
Author(s): Burgmans, Saartje
Gronenschild, Ed H B M
Fandakova, Yana
Shing, Yee Lee
van Boxtel, Martin P J
Vuurman, Eric F P M
Uylings, Harry B M
Jolles, Jelle
Raz, Naftali
Contact Email: yee.shing@stir.ac.uk
Keywords: Aging
Cognition
White matter
DTI
MRI
Issue Date: Apr-2011
Date Deposited: 29-Sep-2015
Citation: Burgmans S, Gronenschild EHBM, Fandakova Y, Shing YL, van Boxtel MPJ, Vuurman EFPM, Uylings HBM, Jolles J & Raz N (2011) Age differences in speed of processing are partially mediated by differences in axonal integrity. NeuroImage, 55 (3), pp. 1287-1297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.01.002
Abstract: Advanced age is associated with declines in brain structure and in cognitive performance, but it is unclear which aspects of brain aging mediate cognitive declines. We inquired if individual differences in white matter integrity contribute to age differences in two cognitive domains with established vulnerability to aging: executive functioning and speed of processing. The participants were healthy volunteers aged 50-81, some of whom had elevated blood pressure, a known vascular risk factor. Using latent variable analyses, we examined whether age differences in regional white matter integrity mediated age-related differences in executive functions and speed of processing. Although diffusion-related latent variables showed stronger age differences than white matter volumes and white matter hyperintensity volumes, only one of them was significantly associated with cognitive performance. Smaller linear anisotropy partially mediated age-related reduction in speed of processing. The effect was significant in posterior (temporal-parietal-occipital) but not anterior (frontal) region, and appeared stronger for cognitive rather than reaction time measures of processing speed. The presence of hypertensive participants did not affect the results. We conclude that in healthy adults, deterioration of axonal integrity and ensuing breech of connectivity may underpin age-related slowing of information processing.
DOI Link: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.01.002
Rights: The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository. Please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study.
Licence URL(s): http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
Burgmans_speed-axonal_11.pdfFulltext - Published Version408.67 kBAdobe PDFUnder Embargo until 2999-12-12    Request a copy

Note: If any of the files in this item are currently embargoed, you can request a copy directly from the author by clicking the padlock icon above. However, this facility is dependent on the depositor still being contactable at their original email address.



This item is protected by original copyright



Items in the Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

The metadata of the records in the Repository are available under the CC0 public domain dedication: No Rights Reserved https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

If you believe that any material held in STORRE infringes copyright, please contact library@stir.ac.uk providing details and we will remove the Work from public display in STORRE and investigate your claim.