Journal article
Resting hippocampal blood flow, spatial memory and aging
Brain research, Vol.1315, pp.119-127
2010
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.12.020
PMCID: PMC2822086
PMID: 20026320
Abstract
Aging is accompanied by a general deterioration of fluid cognitive processes and a reduction in resting cerebral blood flow (CBF). While the two phenomena have been observed independently, it is uncertain whether individual differences in cerebral blood flow are reliably associated with cognitive functioning in older adults. Furthermore, previous studies have concentrated primarily on gross measures of cognition and global gray matter CBF, leaving open the possibility that perfusion of specific brain regions may relate differentially to distinct cognitive domains. The present study sought to provide a more focused treatment of CBF and cognitive function in the context of aging by investigating the relationships among aging, spatial memory and resting hippocampal blood flow, both between and within younger and older adult groups. Blood flow was quantified using a novel Flow-Enhanced Signal Intensity (FENSI) technique which provides a localized, functionally relevant measure of volumetric flow across a given unit area. As expected, we found that aging was associated with poorer spatial memory and reduced resting CBF. Moreover, hippocampal blood flow was positively correlated with spatial memory performance in the older adult group, suggesting that increased blood flow to the hippocampus is associated with superior memory performance in older adults. These results demonstrate a region-specific CBF—cognition relationship and thereby offer new insight into the complex connection between the aging brain and behavior.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Resting hippocampal blood flow, spatial memory and aging
- Creators
- Susie Heo - Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USARuchika Shaurya Prakash - Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USAMichelle W Voss - Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USAKirk I Erickson - Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USACheng Ouyang - Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USABradley P Sutton - Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USAArthur F Kramer - Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Brain research, Vol.1315, pp.119-127
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.12.020
- PMID
- 20026320
- PMCID
- PMC2822086
- NLM abbreviation
- Brain Res
- ISSN
- 0006-8993
- eISSN
- 1872-6240
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000049, name: National Institute on Aging, award: RO1 AG25667, RO1 AG25032
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2010
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984002472002771
Metrics
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