Age moderates the relationship between cortical thickness and cognitive performance. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de Chastelaine, Marianne; Donley, Brian E.; Kennedy, Kristen M.; Rugg, Michael D.
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 132(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Ageing -- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -- Memory -- Lifespan development; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107136
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: Findings from cross-sectional and longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies indicate that cortical thickness declines across the adult lifespan, with regional differences in rate of decline. Global and regional thickness have also been found to co-vary with cognitive performance. Here we examined the relationships between age, mean cortical thickness, and associative recognition performance across three age groups (younger, middle-aged and older adults; total n = 133). Measures of cortical thickness were obtained using a semi-automated method. Older age was associated with decreased memory performance and a reduction in mean cortical thickness. After controlling for the potentially confounding effects of head motion, mean cortical thickness was negatively associated with associative memory performance in the younger participants, but was positively correlated with performance in older participants. A similar but weaker pattern was evident in the relationships between cortical thickness and scores on four cognitive constructs derived from a neuropsychological test battery. This pattern is consistent with prior findings indicating that the direction of the association between cortical thickness and cognitive performance reverses between early and later adulthood. In addition, head motion was independently and negatively correlated with associative recognition performance in younger and middle-aged, but not older, participants, suggesting that variance in head motion is determined by multiple factors that vary in their relative influences with age. Highlights: Older age was associated with decreased memory performance and cortical thickness. Cortical thickness correlated negatively with memory performance in young participants. Cortical thickness was correlated positively with memory performance in older participants. Estimates of in-scanner head motion correlated negatively with cortical thickness estimates. Head motion correlated negatively with memory performance in young and middle-aged adults.