Cognitive Control Modulates Effects of Episodic Simulation on Delay Discounting in Aging

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Episodic future thinking enhances prospective thinking and reduces delay discounting in younger individuals (the "tag-effect").
• Age-related declines in future thinking and cognitive control may impact the efficacy of this "tag-effect" in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether the "tag-effect" of episodic future thinking extends to healthy older adults.
• To examine the role of cognitive control and future thinking abilities in modulating delay discounting in aging.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used with an intertemporal choice task incorporating episodic future event "tags".
• Cognitive control was assessed using a visual search task, and future thinking ability via autobiographical interviews.
• Healthy older participants completed the tasks to evaluate the impact of episodic tagging on their decision-making.

Main Results:

• Older participants did not show the "tag-effect"; they did not benefit from tagging the future with episodic events.
• Reduced cognitive control, specifically attention, was directly associated with higher delay discounting rates in episodic conditions.
• fMRI data showed that subjective value signals (hippocampus, ACC) and hippocampal-striatal coupling correlated with cognitive control capacity.

Conclusions:

• Executive functioning, particularly distraction control, is critical for integrating episodic information into future value computation in aging.
• The strategy of boosting delay gratification via episodic future thinking may be less effective in older adults with diminished executive functions.