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记住。随着年龄的增长，这些记忆故障变得越来越普遍。在国家科学基金会的资助下，Audrey Duarte博士，格鲁吉亚理工学院的博士，正在进行一项研究，利用功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）和事件相关电位（ERPs）来了解注意力影响编码和检索与先前经历的事件相关的细节（即所谓的“联想记忆”）的神经机制。认知过程和支持记忆先前经历的事件的某些方面的能力的潜在大脑区域（例如，空间和感知细节），但其他细节没有得到很好的理解。先前的研究表明，将注意力集中在特定的事件特征上有助于年轻人和老年人对所关注特征的记忆准确性。大脑如何进行这种记忆促进是未知的。Duarte博士正在研究支持使用fMRI和ERP进行联想记忆编码和检索的神经机制的空间和时间特征。该研究项目还测试了在存在分散注意力的刺激的情况下，与年轻人相比，老年人的注意力诱导的联想记忆准确性和支持神经活动的促进作用降低的可能性。该项目的结果预计将有助于更深入地了解年轻人和老年人记忆注意力控制的神经机制，以及整个生命周期记忆失败的根本原因。联想记忆的完整性对一个人生活的几乎所有方面都很重要，从记住自己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和联想记忆失败的潜在因素具有极大的兴趣和重要性。随着对衰老如何影响这些神经机制的理解，我们可以设想开发简单的学习技术和干预措施，以改善整个生命周期的记忆功能。为了促进这一转化过程，研究人员在专业会议和社区青年和老年人的公开讲座上广泛传播研究成果。社区演讲是调查人员组织的一个更大项目的一部分，旨在教育公众认知老化研究的最新进展。这种社区外联的主要目标之一是让更多样化的研究人员和研究参与者参与进来。该研究计划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有科学价值又与现实世界相关的研究培训。学生接受记忆和衰老的认知神经科学的教育培训。学生在进行认知神经科学研究的各个方面接受实践培训（即，实验设计，数据采集，分析和解释）使用互补和创新的神经成像方法。与该项目相关的所有教育和研究培训活动旨在提高学生在研究，学术或工业未来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.