Exploring the Latent Class Structure of Inhibition in Normal Aging

项目总结 认知功能缺陷被认为是衰老最令人衰弱的方面之一，并防止衰老 成年人无法过上富有成效和有意义的生活。尽管在正常的过程中会发生许多变化 衰老，认知神经科学的最新研究表明抑制的核心作用，这是几个 “执行功能”，使个人能够抵抗来自任务无关信息的干扰。 发球得分。抑制过程中的缺陷可能会直接影响老年人的功能 在日常生活中独立生活，这是考虑机构护理的关键因素。尽管探索与年龄有关的工作 抑制过程的变化，不一致的发现阻碍了理论上的共识 已到达。在完全了解支持抑制能力的机制之前，不可能 构建最有效的干预措施，以加强需要抑制技能的人的抑制技能 最重要的，并最终促进成功的认知老化。 本K99/R00介绍了一项研究和培训计划，将支持申请者走上 成为一名独立的研究者，专注于描述认知“正常”中的抑制过程 老龄化(即在没有痴呆症或神经障碍的情况下的衰老)。横截面和纵向结构 方程模型将测试年龄、抑制能力、阿尔茨海默病(AD)生物标志物、 全球和特定领域的认知测量，以及皮质厚度的量化测量。活动 这项申请将补充应聘者在认知心理学和 认知神经科学，并设置在资源丰富的环境中，将为申请者提供专业知识 (1)结构方程模型，(2)老年人群皮质厚度的神经影像数据分析 和多变量脑行为分析技术，(3)与年龄相关的神经病理疾病的生物标志物 包括AD和4)负责任的研究行为。环境，训练计划， 研究战略和指导团队不仅将为候选人提供一系列新方法 和技能，这将使她成为一名独立的研究科学家，但也将产生 这些知识将阐明衰老过程中抑制过程是如何受到影响的。这一知识反过来可能会导致 旨在减少与年龄相关的认知发病率和改善老年人生活质量的干预目标 美国老龄化人口迅速增长。

PROJECT SUMMARY Deficits in cognitive functioning are considered one of the most debilitating aspects of aging, and prevent older adults from leading productive and meaningful lives. Although many changes occur over the normal course of aging, recent work in cognitive neuroscience has implicated a central role for inhibition, one of several “executive functions” that enable an individual to resist interference from task-irrelevant information in the service of goals. Deficits in inhibitory processes may have direct implications for older adults' ability to function independently in daily life, a key factor in considering institutional care. Despite work exploring age-related changes to inhibitory processes, inconsistent findings have prevented a theoretical consensus from being reached. Until the mechanisms supporting inhibitory abilities are fully understood, it will not be feasible to construct maximally effective interventions to strengthen inhibitory skills in the individuals who need these skills the most, and ultimately to promote successful cognitive aging. This K99/R00 presents a research and training program that will support the applicant on a path towards becoming an independent investigator focused on characterizing inhibitory processes in cognitively “normal” aging (i.e., aging in the absence of dementia or neurologic disorder). Cross-sectional and longitudinal structural equation models will test relationships between age, inhibitory ability, biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), global and domain specific measures of cognition, and quantified measures of cortical thickness. The activities in this application will supplement the candidate's strong existing background in cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience and are set in a resource-rich environment that will provide the applicant with expertise in (1) structural equation modeling, (2) neuroimaging data analysis of cortical thickness in an aged population and multivariate brain-behavior analysis techniques, (3) biomarkers for age-related neuropathological disorders including AD and 4) the responsible conduct of research. The combination of the environment, training plan, research strategy and mentorship team will not only provide the candidate with a spectrum of new methods and skills that will establish her as an independent research scientist, but will also produce a body of knowledge that will clarify how inhibitory processes are affected in aging. This knowledge, in turn, may lead to targets for interventions aimed at reducing age-related cognitive morbidity and improving quality of life in the rapidly expanding U.S. aging population.