Possibility to use divergent tasks for baseline alpha rhythm modulation in older adults.

Poster (download) Evgeniya Privodnova1, Nina Volf2, Victoriya Bilik3, Ekaterina Merculova41Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, privodnovaeu@physiol.ru2Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, volf@physiol.ru3Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, v.bilik@mail.ru4Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, merkaterine@gmail.com Findings reliably revealed that alpha power attenuates in aging whereas distractibility tends to increase. Given the causal link between alpha power and inhibition capacity in aged people, enhancement of baseline alpha power may have positive effect on cognition. Based on robust evidence of alpha power enhancement during divergent thinking, we suggested that divergent tasks might be candidate cognitive activity for modulation of resting state alpha rhythm. We investigated the changes in baseline upper alpha rhythm following visual and verbal divergent thinking training session in 30 older adults (64.2В±6 years). 52-channel EEG was registered prior to, during and after session. Upper alpha power was calculated via Fourier transform; current source density (CSD) and statistical nonparametric mapping were performed using LORETA. Analysis of both power and CSD revealed alpha increases from pre-training to post-training interval, with maximum difference in Superior Parietal lobule (region of interest, ROI). CSD estimates during verbal task did not differ from pre-training alpha activity. CSD during visual task performance was higher than at pre-training interval and than during verbal task performance. The spatial pattern of alpha CSD increase during visual task performance matched spatial pattern of CSD increase in post-training activity. Moreover, measures of ROI in visual task performance positively correlated with measures of ROI in post-training interval. The findings are in favor for notion, that divergent thinking session may be viewed as a kind of cognitive activity resulted in alpha power increase in older adults. Visual divergent task performance made crucial impact in this post-training alpha rhythm modulation.

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Age-related difference in use-dependent plasticity after divergent thinking session matches posterior-anterior shift in aging (PASA) model.

Poster (download) Evgeniya Privodnova1, Nina Volf2, Ekaterina Merculova3, Dariya Bazovkina41Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, privodnovaeu@physiol.ru2Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, volf@physiol.ru3Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, merkaterine@gmail.com4Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, daryabazovkina@gmail.com Repetitive cognitive activity has the potential to improve cognitive functioning through neuroplasticity. Despite evidence for task-specific traces after task performance in young adults, age differences of experience-related neuroplasticity remains understudied. Common patterns of age-related changes in brain activity across a variety of cognitive functions suggest the hemispheric asymmetry reduction in older adults (HAROLD) and the posterior-to-anterior shift in aging (PASA). We can expect that those models appear as age specificity of experience-related neuroplasticity. The aim of the current study was to investigate the age-related specificity in use-dependent changes between pre-training and post-training baseline alpha EEG rhythm measures. 31 younger (Mean age = 21.3) and 30 older adults (Mean age=64.2) underwent a divergent thinking training session with concomitant 52-channel EEG registration. Upper alpha power was calculated via Fourier transform; current source density estimates and statistical nonparametric mapping were calculated via LORETA. Alpha power increased from baseline to post-session interval in the both age groups, indicating use-dependent plasticity. The anterior-posterior gradient (posterior>anterior) of alpha power increases from baseline to post-session interval in the left hemisphere was more pronounced in younger adults, than in older. Use-dependent plasticity has the same pattern of age differences as PASA postulates, that is, decrease in posterior coupled with increase in anterior areas. The results emphasize that PASA model reflects a global age-associated shift in brain function.

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Evgeniya Privodnova1, Nina Volf2, Ekaterina Merculova3, Victoriya Bilik41Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, privodnovaeu@physiol.ru2Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, volf@physiol.ru3Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, merkaterine@gmail.com4Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, v.bilik@mail.ru Enter the abstract annotation ONLY hereMaterial for regular publication

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