Impact of aging brain circuits on cognition. Issue 12 (16th June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Samson, Rachel D.; Barnes, Carol A.
• Is Part Of: European journal of neuroscience. Volume 37:Issue 12(2013:Jun.)
• Page Start: 1903
• Page End: 1915
• Publication Date: 2013-06-16
• Subjects: Nervous system -- Periodicals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-816X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ejn12183-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Brain networks that engage the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex are central for enabling effective interactions with our environment. Some of the cognitive processes that these structures mediate, such as encoding and retrieving episodic experience, wayfinding, working memory and attention are known to be altered across the lifespan. As illustrated by examples given below, there is remarkable consistency across species in the pattern of age‐related neural and cognitive change observed in healthy humans and other animals. These include changes in cognitive operations that are known to be dependent on the hippocampus, as well as those requiring intact prefrontal cortical circuits. Certain cognitive constructs that reflect the function of these areas lend themselves to investigation across species, allowing brain mechanisms at different levels of analysis to be studied in greater depth.</p> </abstract>