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Auditory Processing Deficits Are Selectively Associated with Medial Temporal Lobe Mnemonic Function and White Matter
Daniel T Gray1,2, Lavanya Umapathy3, Nicole M De La Peña1,2
1Division of Neural System, Memory and Aging.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|December 14, 2019
Summary
Aging macaques with better hearing showed enhanced cognitive function, particularly in temporal lobe tasks. White matter integrity in specific tracts correlated with auditory processing and cognitive performance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Aging Research
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Normative aging is characterized by declines in auditory function and cognition.
- Hearing impairment is linked to increased risks of cognitive impairment and dementia, but underlying neurobiology is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neurobiological links between auditory function, white matter integrity, and cognition in aging macaques.
- To determine if specific white matter tracts are associated with temporal or frontal lobe-dependent cognitive tasks and auditory processing.
Main Methods:
- Aging macaques underwent behavioral tests for frontal and temporal lobe cognition.
- Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and visual evoked potentials assessed sensory function.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluated white matter tract microstructural integrity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography.
Main Results:
- Higher cognitive function correlated with better auditory processing, specifically in temporal lobe-dependent tasks.
- Fractional anisotropy (FA) in the fimbria-fornix and hippocampal commissure was associated with temporal lobe cognition and auditory function.
- No significant association was found between frontal white matter FA and auditory processing, or between visual function and white matter integrity.
Conclusions:
- This study reveals significant and selective relationships between auditory processing, white matter connectivity, and higher-order cognitive abilities in aging.
- The findings highlight the importance of auditory system integrity and specific white matter pathways, particularly those linked to the temporal lobe, for maintaining cognitive function during aging.
