Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026
10:28
Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
16.0K
Brain biomarkers and cognition across adulthood
Angeliki Tsapanou1, Christian Habeck1, Yunglin Gazes1
1Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology and the Taub Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York.
Human Brain Mapping
|May 22, 2019
Summary
Brain biomarkers (BMs) significantly associate with cognitive functions like memory and executive function across adulthood. Specific BMs like white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and entorhinal thickness impact cognition differently with age.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Aging Research
Background:
- Understanding how brain structure and function change with age is crucial for cognitive health.
- Brain biomarkers (BMs) offer insights into the neurobiology of aging and cognitive decline.
- Existing research highlights associations between BMs and cognition, but lifespan perspectives are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between various brain biomarkers (BMs) and cognitive domains across the adult lifespan.
- To examine how age moderates the relationship between BMs and cognition.
- To identify specific BMs linked to episodic memory, executive function, and processing speed.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MRI data (T1, DTI, FLAIR, rs-fMRI) and neuropsychological testing in 562 participants (19-80 years).
- Assessed cortical thickness, volumes (hippocampal, striatal), network connectivity, fractional anisotropy (FA), and white matter hyperintensity (WMH).
- Employed multiple linear regressions and interaction analyses, controlling for relevant covariates.
Main Results:
- BMs were significantly associated with cognitive performance across adulthood.
- Slow processing speed linked to low striatal volume, low FA, and high WMH.
- Poor executive function associated with low FA; poor memory with high WMH.
- Significant associations found for speed-FA, speed-WMH, memory-entorhinal thickness, and memory-hippocampal volume-age interaction.
Conclusions:
- Distinct sets of BMs explain variations in specific cognitive domains throughout adulthood.
- Findings provide critical neurobiological insights into cognitive aging.
- Age-specific associations highlight the dynamic interplay between BMs and cognition.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
834
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
834
01:25Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development from Childhood into Adulthood
1.5K
Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the role of thinking in a child's learning process, suggesting that children are naturally curious about their environment. His approach to development is discontinuous, proposing that cognitive abilities progress through distinct stages, each with unique characteristics. Central to Piaget's theory is schemata—mental structures that allow individuals to understand and interpret the world.
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
1.5K
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
48.7K
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
48.7K
01:27Emerging Adulthood
649
Jeffrey Arnett's concept of emerging adulthood offers a framework to understand the unique developmental stage between adolescence and full-fledged adulthood, generally from ages 18 to 25. This period is marked by extensive exploration and shifts in identity, relationships, and career choices, a process known in psychology as role experimentation. Emerging adulthood reflects the evolving cultural expectations surrounding adulthood and the dynamic process of personal transformation during...
649
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
36.8K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
36.8K
01:27Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
871
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines a series of stages through which individuals progress across the lifespan. Each stage involves a psychosocial conflict that significantly influences personal growth and well-being. Three key stages — intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair — highlight the developmental challenges faced in adulthood.
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
871