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Brain reorganization of episodic memory throughout the adult lifespan

Dates

from April 21, 2018 to April 28, 2018

Published in NeuroReport

Collaborative research project led by Prof. Isingrini (CNRS U7295/CeRCA) to which Dr. Marie Gomot participated

Event-related brain potential correlates of brain reorganization of episodic memory throughout the adult lifespan

The main aim of this study was to characterize the age-related evolution of the event-related brain potentials correlates of successful to tackle the neural reorganization patterns associated with this episodic retrieval. We thus examined the evolution of the event-related brain potential old/new effect across the adult lifespan, in five groups, aged 21-70 years (21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, and 61-70 years), equalized on their memory performance through a word-stem cued-recall task. This procedure makes it possible to examine the evolution of age-related changes in brain organization during adulthood and to specify the age onset of these changes. Results confirm the hypothesis that aging is associated with major changes in brain functioning. These changes appear to be consistent with both the HAROLD and PASA hypotheses, which postulate an age-related reduction in hemispheric asymmetry and a shift from posterior to anterior areas, respectively. What is notable is that these patterns of brain reorganization are not specific to older stages of life as they begin to develop very early in adult life, around the 30s, and the shift toward frontal regions strengthens in the 60s.
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