Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 20, 2026
10:13
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
14.3K
Practical judgment in aging: examining behavioral vulnerabilities and neurobiological correlates.
Nicole Sergeyev1,2, Abi Heller-Wight3, Caroline Nester Rooney4,5
1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
Frontiers in Psychology
|March 19, 2026
Summary
Practical judgment in older adults is linked to scam vulnerability and brain structure. Better connectivity in the uncinate fasciculus (UF) is associated with improved judgment and reduced scam engagement in aging individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Practical judgment is crucial for independence in aging but is understudied in older adults without dementia.
- There's a knowledge gap regarding the association between judgment, scam vulnerability, and white matter integrity in aging.
- Structural white matter changes may precede objective cognitive decline, impacting everyday functioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine objective and informant-rated measures of practical judgment in older adults.
- To investigate the association of judgment with scam vulnerability and white matter integrity.
- To explore the role of the uncinate fasciculus (UF) in practical judgment and its relation to cognitive status.
Main Methods:
- Community-dwelling older adults (cognitively unimpaired, subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment) completed the Test of Practical Judgment (TOP-J) and scam susceptibility measures.
- Informants provided ratings of participants' judgment and vulnerability.
- Structural MRI, including diffusion imaging, was used to assess white matter integrity, specifically fractional anisotropy (FA) and uncinate fasciculus (UF) connectivity.
Main Results:
- Greater UF structural connectivity was associated with better informant-reported judgment.
- Better practical judgment scores correlated with lower reported scam engagement.
- Participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) showed significantly worse objective and informant-rated judgment compared to cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals.
Conclusions:
- Objective and informant assessments are valuable for evaluating real-world judgment and preventing negative outcomes in older adults.
- Structural connectivity within the UF shows promise as a biomarker for impaired judgment in older adults without dementia.
- Understanding these associations can inform interventions to support independence and safety in aging populations.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
1.1K
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,...
1.1K
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
310
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
310
01:26Aging
966
Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
966
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
344
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
344
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
2.0K
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
2.0K
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism
305
Geriatric patients show significant variation in how their bodies process medications, which can change how effective and safe treatments are. The liver is the primary organ where drug metabolism occurs, involving two main types of chemical reactions: phase I and II. Phase I metabolism is driven by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, which includes key types such as CYP3A, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Research indicates that while aging doesn't notably alter the levels or activity of these enzymes, it...
305