Imaging the Human Reward System Across the Adult Life Span

说明(申请人提供)：二十世纪人类预期寿命的增加将继续扩大老年人在全球人口中的比例，放大他们与健康有关的决定和财务决定的相对经济影响。因此，越来越迫切地需要更好地描述和理解成人一生中与年龄相关的奖赏处理和决策的变化。使用磁共振成像(MRI)和正电子发射断层扫描(PET)的新的活体脑成像技术现在可以更精确地测量人类的奖励系统。现在，使用超高场强7特斯拉核磁共振扫描仪可以对整个大脑的结构进行高度详细的可视化。在高场强下使用高分辨率方案(即选择性地测量大脑的一部分的切片处方)，有可能在结构和功能上分离奖励系统中的单个核团。现在可以使用放射性配基[18F]FolyPride在PET成像中测量纹状体和纹状体外(例如，中脑、额叶皮质)区域的多巴胺受体可用性。这些成像技术有助于在整个大脑中进行以前无法获得的深度测量。这笔奖学金赠款的主要目的是培训申请者使用新的方法来成像成人一生中的人类奖励系统。培训还将包括通过定向阅读扩大申请者的知识基础，磨练教学和指导技能，以及建立实验室和授予管理技能，以确保申请者在整个职业生涯中的生产力和成功。具体目的是培训申请者(1)使用高分辨率、超高场强(7-TESLA)MRI来检查成年后中脑各个亚区的结构和功能与年龄相关的变化，(2)结合[18F]FolyPride PET和功能MRI来表征多巴胺受体可获得性与健康成年人的奖励处理和行为控制之间的关联，以及(3)综合神经完整性的结构(MRI)和功能(PET，fMRI)测量来研究从青年到中年的决策中与年龄相关的变化。所有AIMS的目标都是精确地描述与年龄相关的认知变化背后的神经变化，特别是与决策和行为控制相关的变化。该奖学金将支持申请者成为衰老认知神经科学领域的独立心理学科学家的下一阶段培训。完成培训后，申请者的目标是结合这些新方法，不仅更准确地量化人类奖励系统中与年龄相关的变化，而且还调查这些变化在整个成年人一生中的影响。申请者职业生涯的长期目标是进行基础科学研究，这些研究直接有助于干预措施，旨在缓解老年人日常生活中的认知压力，改善情绪和经济健康。 与公共健康相关：这项研究培训计划旨在使用尖端的神经成像技术来扩大对成年人生命周期的决策和行为控制过程的理解。这项工作有可能有助于确定老年人次优决策的标志，以便为适当干预措施的设计提供信息。这一研究的长期目标是通过改善个人层面的决策来改善老年人的经济和情绪健康。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Increases in human life expectancy over the twentieth century will continue to expand the proportion of older adults in the global population, magnifying the relative economic impact of their health-related and financial decisions. Thus, it is increasingly imperative to better characterize and understand age-related changes in reward processing and decision making across the adult life span. New in vivo brain imaging techniques using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) now allow more precise measurement of the human reward system. Highly detailed visualization of structures across the brain is now possible using ultra high field strength 7-Tesla MRI scanners. The use of high-resolution protocols (i.e., slice prescriptions that selectively measure a subsection of the brain) at high field strength has the potential to both structurally and functionally dissociate individual nuclei in the reward system. Measurement of dopamine receptor availability in both striatal and extrastriatal (e.g., midbrain, frontal cortical) regions is now possible using the radioligand [18F]fallypride in PET imaging. These imaging techniques facilitate previously unavailable in-depth measurement across the brain. The main objective of this fellowship grant is to train the applicant in the use of novel methods for imaging the human reward system across the adult life span. Training will also include broadening the applicant's base of knowledge through directed reading, honing teaching and mentoring skills, and building laboratory and grant management skills to ensure productivity and success throughout the applicant's career. The specific aims are to train the applicant to (1) use high-resolution, ultra high field strength, (7-Tesla) MRI to examine structural and functional age-related changes in individual subregions of the midbrain across adulthood, (2) combine [18F]fallypride PET and functional MRI to characterize associations between dopamine receptor availability and aspects of reward processing and behavioral control in healthy adults, and (3) integrate structural (MRI) and functional (PET, fMRI) measures of neural integrity to investigate age-related changes in decision making from young adulthood to middle age. The goal of all aims is to precisely characterize the neural changes underlying age-related changes in cognition, specifically related to decision making and behavioral control. The fellowship will support the next stage of training on the applicant's path to becoming an independent psychological scientist in the cognitive neuroscience of aging. After completion of training, the applicant's goal is to combine these new methods to not only more precisely quantify age-related change in the human reward system but also to investigate the implications of these changes throughout the adult life span. The long-term goal of the applicant's career is to conduct basic scientific research that contributes directly to interventions aimed at easing the cognitive strain and improving emotional and economic health in the daily lives of aging adults. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research training plan aims to use cutting edge neuroimaging technology to expand understanding of processes underlying decision making and behavioral control over the adult life span. This work has the potential to facilitate identification of markers for suboptimal decisions in older adults in order to inform the design of appropriate interventions. The long-term goal of this line of research is to improve the financial and emotional health of older adults by improving decision making at the individual level.