The influence of attention on associative memory in the young and old

并不是所有的经历都能在以后有意识地被记住。随着年龄的增长，这些记忆障碍变得越来越常见。在国家科学基金会的资助下，佐治亚理工学院的奥黛丽·杜阿尔特博士正在利用功能磁共振成像(FMRI)和事件相关电位(ERPs)进行研究，以了解注意力影响与先前经历的事件相关的细节的编码和检索的神经机制(即所谓的关联记忆)。支持记忆先前经历的事件的某些方面(例如，空间和知觉细节)而不是其他方面的认知过程和潜在的大脑区域没有被很好地理解。先前的研究表明，将注意力集中在特定的事件特征上，无论是年轻人还是老年人，都能促进对所关注特征的准确记忆。大脑是如何进行这种记忆促进的尚不清楚。杜阿尔特博士正在利用功能磁共振成像和事件相关电位研究支持联想记忆编码和检索的神经机制的空间和时间特征。这项研究项目还在测试这样一种可能性，即在存在分心刺激的情况下，与年轻人相比，老年人注意力诱导的联想记忆准确性和支持性神经活动的易化程度会降低。这一项目的结果有望有助于更深入地理解年轻人和老年人记忆注意力控制的神经机制，以及一生中记忆衰退的根本原因。联想记忆的完整性对于一个人生活的几乎方方面面都很重要，从记住停放的汽车的位置到记住同事的名字。因此，了解支持联想记忆的神经机制以及导致联想记忆失效的因素具有重要的意义。随着对衰老如何影响这些神经机制的了解，我们可以设想开发出简单的学习技术和干预措施，以改善一生中的记忆功能。为了促进这一翻译过程，调查人员在专业会议上广泛传播这项研究，并在社区中为年轻人和老年人举办公开讲座。这些社区报告是研究人员组织的一个更大项目的一部分，该项目旨在教育公众了解认知衰老研究的最新进展。这一社区外展的主要目标之一是让更多不同的研究人员和研究参与者参与进来。该研究项目还为本科生和研究生提供了独特的教育和培训机会。重要的是，本科生和研究生正在接受既具有科学价值又与现实世界相关的研究培训。学生们接受有关记忆和衰老的认知神经科学方面的教育培训。学生接受使用补充和创新的神经成像方法进行认知神经科学研究(即实验设计、数据获取、分析和解释)的所有方面的动手培训。所有与该项目相关的教育和研究培训活动都旨在提高学生在未来的研究、学术或行业职业生涯中取得成功的潜力。

Not all of what is experienced can be consciously remembered later. These memory failures become increasingly common with age. With funding from the National Science Foundation, Audrey Duarte, Ph.D., of the Georgia Institute of Technology, is conducting research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potentials (ERPs) to understand the neural mechanisms by which attention affects the encoding and retrieval of details associated with previously experienced events (what is known as 'associative memory'). The cognitive processes and underlying brain regions that support the ability to remember some aspects of previously experienced events (e.g., spatial, and perceptual details) but not others are not well understood. Previous research suggests that directing one's attention toward particular event features facilitates memory accuracy for the attended features in both the young and old. How the brain carries out this memory facilitation is unknown. Dr. Duarte is investigating the spatial and temporal characteristics of neural mechanisms supporting associative memory encoding and retrieval using fMRI and ERP. This research project is also testing the possibility that in the presence of distracting stimuli, the attention-induced facilitation of associative memory accuracy and supporting neural activity is reduced in older adults compared to younger adults. Results from this project are expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the attentional control of memory in the young and old, as well as the underlying cause of memory failures across the lifespan. Associative memory integrity is important for nearly all aspects of a person's life, from remembering the location of one's parked car to remembering the names of one's co-workers. It is therefore of great interest and importance to understand the neural mechanisms supporting associative memory and the factors underlying associative memory failures. With an understanding of how aging impacts these neural mechanisms, we can envision the development of simple learning techniques and interventions to improve memory functioning across the lifespan. To facilitate this translational process, the research is being broadly disseminated by the investigators at professional conferences and public lectures given to young and older adults in the community. The community presentations are part of a larger program organized by the investigators aimed at educating the public about the latest advancements in cognitive aging research. One of the major goals of this community outreach is to involve a more diverse population of researchers and research participants. This research program also provides unique educational and training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Importantly, undergraduate and graduate students are being trained in research that has both scientific merit and real-world relevance. Students receive educational training in the cognitive neuroscience of memory and aging. Students receive hands on training in all aspects of conducting cognitive neuroscience research (i.e., experimental design, data acquisition, analysis and interpretation) using complementary and innovative neuroimaging methods. All the educational and research training activities associated with this project are aimed at increasing the students' potential for success in their future careers in research, academia, or industry.