Age-related changes to oscillatory dynamics in hippocampal and neocortical networks

Renante Rondina 2nd; Rosanna K Olsen; Douglas A McQuiggan; Zainab Fatima; Lingqian Li; Esther Oziel; Jed A Meltzer; Jennifer D Ryan

doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.017

Age-related changes to oscillatory dynamics in hippocampal and neocortical networks

Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2016 Oct:134 Pt A:15-30. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.017. Epub 2015 Dec 9.

Authors

Renante Rondina 2nd¹, Rosanna K Olsen², Douglas A McQuiggan², Zainab Fatima², Lingqian Li³, Esther Oziel², Jed A Meltzer⁴, Jennifer D Ryan⁵

Affiliations

¹ Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: rrondina@research.baycrest.org.
² Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁵ Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 26688110
DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.017

Abstract

Recent models of hippocampal function have emphasized its role in relational binding - the ability to form lasting representations regarding the relations among distinct elements or items which can support memory performance, even over brief delays (e.g., several seconds). The present study examined the extent to which aging is associated with changes in the recruitment of oscillatory activity within hippocampal and neocortical regions to support relational binding performance on a short delay visuospatial memory task. Structural magnetic resonance imaging and MEG were used to characterize potential age-related changes in hippocampal volume, oscillatory activity, and subsequent memory performance, and the relationships among them. Participants were required to bind the relative visuospatial positions of objects that were presented singly across time. Subsequently, the objects were re-presented simultaneously, and participants were required to indicate whether the relative spatial positions among the objects had been maintained. Older and younger adults demonstrated similar task accuracy, and older adults had preserved hippocampal volumes relative to younger adults. Age-group differences were found in pre-stimulus theta (∼5Hz) and beta (∼20Hz) oscillations, and this pre-stimulus activity was related to hippocampal volumes in younger adults. Age-group differences were also found in the recruitment of oscillatory activity from the pre-stimulus period to the task. Only younger adults showed a task-related change in theta power that was predictive of memory performance. In contrast, older adults demonstrated task-related alpha (∼10Hz) oscillatory power changes that were not observed in younger adults. These findings provide novel evidence for the role of the hippocampus and functionally connected regions in relational binding that is disrupted in aging. The present findings are discussed in the context of current models regarding the cognitive neuroscience of aging.

Keywords: Aging; Cortical networks; Hippocampus; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetoencephalography; Relational memory.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aging / physiology*
Brain Waves / physiology*
Female
Hippocampus* / diagnostic imaging
Hippocampus* / physiology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetoencephalography
Male
Memory / physiology*
Middle Aged
Neocortex* / diagnostic imaging
Neocortex* / physiology
Space Perception / physiology
Visual Perception / physiology
Young Adult

Grants and funding

CIHR/Canada