Age-related vulnerability in the neural systems supporting semantic processing.

ABSTRACT: Our ability to form abstract representations of objects in semantic memory is crucial to language and thought. The utility of this information relies both on the representations of sensory-motor feature knowledge stored in long-term memory and the executive processes required to retrieve, manipulate, and evaluate this semantic knowledge in a task-relevant manner. These complementary components of semantic memory can be differentially impacted by aging. We investigated semantic processing in normal aging using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Young and older adults were asked to judge whether two printed object names match on a particular feature (for example, whether a tomato and strawberry have the same color). The task thus required both retrieval of relevant visual feature

SUBMITTER: Peelle JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3770910 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature