Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
Depressive and anxiety symptoms are related to decreased lateral prefrontal cortex functioning during cognitive
Michael K Yeung1, Tsz L Lee2, Agnes S Chan3
1Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract:
Some studies have found a relationship between negative emotional symptoms and decreased lateral PFC functioning during a cognitive control task in healthy younger adults. Here, we asked whether this relationship is also present in the general older population and across different functional domains of the lateral PFC. Thirty-six older people (13 males) self-reported their recent depressive and anxiety symptoms. They also took two cognitive control tasks known to differentially engage the lateral frontoparietal network (digit n-back task) and the lateral frontotemporal network (Category Fluency Test) while hemodynamic changes in the PFC were monitored by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Both depressive and anxiety symptoms were associated with decreased activation in the bilateral lateral PFC during cognitive control performance. Interestingly, these relationships were driven by the n-back task. Our findings suggest that depressive and anxiety symptoms are related to decreased lateral PFC functioning in particular domains of cognitive control among older people.
More Related Videos
10:13Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
09:01A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
Published on: May 7, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Depression: Overview
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
The Influence of Cognition on Affect