Context processing in older adults: Evidence for a theory relating cognitive control to neurobiology in healthy aging

Todd S. Braver; Deanna M. Barch; Beth A. Keys; Cameron S. Carter; Jonathan D. Cohen; Jeffrey A. Kaye; Jeri S. Janowsky; Stephan F. Taylor; Jerome A. Yesavage; Martin S. Mumenthaler; William J. Jagust; Bruce R. Reed

doi:10.1037/0096-3445.130.4.746

Context processing in older adults: Evidence for a theory relating cognitive control to neurobiology in healthy aging

Todd S. Braver, Deanna M. Barch, Beth A. Keys, Cameron S. Carter, Jonathan D. Cohen, Jeffrey A. Kaye, Jeri S. Janowsky, Stephan F. Taylor, Jerome A. Yesavage, Martin S. Mumenthaler, William J. Jagust, Bruce R. Reed

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Abstract

A theory of cognitive aging is presented in which healthy older adults are hypothesized to suffer from disturbances in the processing of context that impair cognitive control function across multiple domains, including attention, inhibition, and working memory. These cognitive disturbances are postulated to be directly related to age-related decline in the function of the dopamine (DA) system in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). A connectionist computational model is described that implements specific mechanisms for the role of DA and PFC in context processing. The behavioral predictions of the model were tested in a large sample of older (N = 81) and young (N = 175) adults performing variants of a simple cognitive control task that placed differential demands on context processing. Older adults exhibited both performance decrements and, counterintuitively, performance improvements that are in close agreement with model predictions.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	746-763
Number of pages	18
Journal	Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
Volume	130
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.130.4.746
State	Published - Dec 2001

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Developmental Neuroscience
General Psychology

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Braver, T. S., Barch, D. M., Keys, B. A., Carter, C. S., Cohen, J. D., Kaye, J. A., Janowsky, J. S., Taylor, S. F., Yesavage, J. A., Mumenthaler, M. S., Jagust, W. J., & Reed, B. R. (2001). Context processing in older adults: Evidence for a theory relating cognitive control to neurobiology in healthy aging. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 130(4), 746-763. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.130.4.746

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title = "Context processing in older adults: Evidence for a theory relating cognitive control to neurobiology in healthy aging",

abstract = "A theory of cognitive aging is presented in which healthy older adults are hypothesized to suffer from disturbances in the processing of context that impair cognitive control function across multiple domains, including attention, inhibition, and working memory. These cognitive disturbances are postulated to be directly related to age-related decline in the function of the dopamine (DA) system in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). A connectionist computational model is described that implements specific mechanisms for the role of DA and PFC in context processing. The behavioral predictions of the model were tested in a large sample of older (N = 81) and young (N = 175) adults performing variants of a simple cognitive control task that placed differential demands on context processing. Older adults exhibited both performance decrements and, counterintuitively, performance improvements that are in close agreement with model predictions.",

author = "Braver, {Todd S.} and Barch, {Deanna M.} and Keys, {Beth A.} and Carter, {Cameron S.} and Cohen, {Jonathan D.} and Kaye, {Jeffrey A.} and Janowsky, {Jeri S.} and Taylor, {Stephan F.} and Yesavage, {Jerome A.} and Mumenthaler, {Martin S.} and Jagust, {William J.} and Reed, {Bruce R.}",

year = "2001",

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doi = "10.1037/0096-3445.130.4.746",

language = "English (US)",

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Braver, TS, Barch, DM, Keys, BA, Carter, CS, Cohen, JD, Kaye, JA, Janowsky, JS, Taylor, SF, Yesavage, JA, Mumenthaler, MS, Jagust, WJ & Reed, BR 2001, 'Context processing in older adults: Evidence for a theory relating cognitive control to neurobiology in healthy aging', Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, vol. 130, no. 4, pp. 746-763. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.130.4.746

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AU - Cohen, Jonathan D.

AU - Kaye, Jeffrey A.

AU - Janowsky, Jeri S.

AU - Taylor, Stephan F.

AU - Yesavage, Jerome A.

AU - Mumenthaler, Martin S.

AU - Jagust, William J.

AU - Reed, Bruce R.

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Context processing in older adults: Evidence for a theory relating cognitive control to neurobiology in healthy aging

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