Optimistic update bias increases in older age.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Healthy older adults report greater well-being and life satisfaction than their younger counterparts. One potential explanation for this is enhanced optimism. We tested the influence of age on optimistic and pessimistic beliefs about the future and the associated structural neural correlates.

Method

Eighteen young and 18 healthy older adults performed a belief updating paradigm, measuring differences in updating beliefs for desirable and undesirable information about future negative events. These measures were related to regional brain volume, focusing on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) because this region is strongly linked to a positivity bias in older age.

Results

We demonstrate an age-related reduction in updating beliefs when older adults are faced

SUBMITTER: Chowdhury R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4035755 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature