Path integration in normal aging and Alzheimer's disease
Vladislava Segen1, Johnson Ying2, Erik Morgan2
1Aging and Cognition Research Group, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg 39120, Germany.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|December 7, 2021
Summary
Path integration (PI) navigation is impaired in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Compromised entorhinal grid cell function is linked to these deficits and may indicate early AD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Aging Research
Background:
- Path integration (PI) is a fundamental cognitive process for spatial navigation.
- Deficits in PI are observed in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- The entorhinal cortex grid cell network is implicated in PI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on PI impairments in aging and AD.
- To identify neural mechanisms underlying PI deficits.
- To explore the potential of PI and grid cell function as early AD biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Review of human and rodent research findings.
- Analysis of neurobiological evidence linking entorhinal cortex function to PI.
- Examination of studies correlating PI performance with aging and AD status.
Main Results:
- Converging evidence shows PI is impaired in healthy aging and AD.
- The entorhinal cortex grid cell network is critical for PI in humans and rodents.
- PI deficits are more severe in early-stage AD patients.
- Compromised grid cell computations correlate with PI deficits in older adults and at-risk younger adults.
Conclusions:
- PI deficits are a significant consequence of aging and AD.
- Grid cell dysfunction in the entorhinal cortex is a key neural mechanism.
- PI and grid cell function may serve as sensitive early diagnostic markers for AD.
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