Effects of aging on value-directed modulation of semantic network activity during verbal learning.

ABSTRACT: While impairments in memory recall are apparent in aging, older adults show a remarkably preserved ability to selectively remember information deemed valuable. Here, we use fMRI to compare brain activation in healthy older and younger adults during encoding of high and low value words to determine whether there are differences in how older adults achieve value-directed memory selectivity. We find that memory selectivity in older adults is associated with value-related changes in activation during word presentation in left hemisphere regions that are involved in semantic processing, similar to young adults. However, highly selective young adults show a relatively greater increase in semantic network activity during encoding of high-value items, whereas highly selective older adults show rel

SUBMITTER: Cohen MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4794448 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature