Li Sun, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Jiliang Fang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kuncheng Li MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To investigate the neural basis for aging effect on single-digit multiplication using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Nineteen younger and twenty aged subjects were required to perform single-digit multiplication and control tasks in magnetic resonance (MR) scanner.

For behavioral measures, our results revealed no differences in two age groups in accuracy and reaction time (RT) performance. For fMRI analysis, single-digit multiplication, relative to detecting-zero, yielded multiple frontal, temporal and parietal activations for both younger and aged participants, however, aged adults exhibited more extensive activation in medial frontal areas and less extensive activation in temporal and parietal lobes as compared with younger adults. Direct group comparisons showed that aged adults exhibited greater activity in right and left supplementary motor area (SMA), and weaker activity in bilateral parahippocampal gyri together with a cluster in right middle temporal gyrus.

Our findings indicate that, healthy aged adults enhance control of fact retrieval in SMA to compensate the deficits in temporal lobe memory system. Moreover, our findings provide supportive evidence for posterior-anterior shift in aging (PASA) pattern in arithmetic problem solving domain.

fMR can demostrate the neural basis of cognitive alteration in normal aging and patient. It has the potential to diagnose neurodegenerative disease in early stage.

Sun, L, Fang, J, Li, K, Age-related Brain Activity Difference during Arithmetic Testing: An fMRI Investigation.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14017469.html