Event-related Potentials Corresponding to Decision-making Under Uncertain Conditions.

BACKGROUND: Decision-making is essential to human functioning, and resolving uncertainty is an essential part of decision-making. Impaired decision-making is present in many pathological conditions, and identifying markers of decision-making under uncertainty will provide a measure of clinical impact in future studies of therapeutic intervention for impaired decision-making. OBJECTIVE: To describe EEG event-related potentials (ERPs) correlating with decision-making under uncertain conditions when compared with certain conditions. METHOD: We used a novel card-matching task based on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test to describe the neural correlates of uncertainty, as measured by EEG, in a group of 27 neurotypical individuals. We evaluated 500-ms intervals in the 2 seconds after card presentation to identify ERPs that are associated with maximal uncertainty compared with maximal certainty. RESULTS: After correcting for multiple comparisons, we identified an ERP in the 500-1000-ms time frame (certain > uncertain, max amplitude 12.73 µV, latency 914 ms) in the left posterior inferior region of the scalp. We also found a P300-like ERP in the left frontal and parietal regions in the 0-500-ms time frame when the individuals received correct versus incorrect feedback (incorrect feedback > correct feedback, max amplitude 1.625 µV, latency 339 ms). CONCLUSION: We identified an ERP in the 500-1000-ms time frame (certain > uncertain) that may reflect the resolution of uncertainty, as well as a P300-like ERP when feedback is presented (incorrect feedback > correct feedback). These findings can be used in future studies to improve decision-making and resolve uncertainty on the described markers.

Neuronal properties of pyramidal cells in lateral prefrontal cortex of the aging rhesus monkey brain are associated with performance deficits on spatial working memory but not executive function.

Age-related declines in cognitive abilities occur as early as middle-age in humans and rhesus monkeys. Specifically, performance by aged individuals on tasks of executive function (EF) and working memory (WM) is characterized by greater frequency of errors, shorter memory spans, increased frequency of perseverative responses, impaired use of feedback and reduced speed of processing. However, how aging precisely differentially impacts specific aspects of these cognitive functions and the distinct brain areas mediating cognition are not well understood. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to mediate EF and WM and is an area that shows a vulnerability to age-related alterations in neuronal morphology. In the current study, we show that performance on EF and WM tasks exhibited significant changes with age, and these impairments correlate with changes in biophysical properties of layer 3 (L3) pyramidal neurons in lateral LPFC (LPFC). Specifically, there was a significant age-related increase in excitability of L3 LPFC pyramidal neurons, consistent with previous studies. Further, this age-related hyperexcitability of LPFC neurons was significantly correlated with age-related decline on a task of WM, but not an EF task. The current study characterizes age-related performance on tasks of WM and EF and provides insight into the neural substrates that may underlie changes in both WM and EF with age.

Prefrontal and medial temporal interactions in memory functions in the rhesus monkey.

Both the medial temporal lobe and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex have been implicated in learning and memory. However, it has been difficult to ascertain the degree to which the two structures are dependent on each other or interact in subserving these cognitive functions. To investigate this question directly, we prepared two group of monkeys. First, the contralateral frontal-hippocampal split group (CFHS) received a unilateral lesion of the hippocampus and surrounding posterior parahippocampal cortices (H +), combined with a contralateral lesion of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plus transection of the corpus callosum and anterior commissure. This preparation functionally "disconnects" the remaining intact H + from the sole intact DLPFC in the opposite hemisphere. As a surgical control group, a second set of animals, the ipsilateral frontal-hippocampal split group, was prepared with a unilateral lesion of the DLPFC and an ipsilateral H + lesion together plus transection of the corpus callosum and anterior commissure. This preparation matches the locus and extent of damage in the cross-lesion group but allows the intact H + and intact DLPFC to interact ipsilaterally. Following recovery from surgery, all animals were then tested on the delayed nonmatching to sample task (DNMS), a test of recognition memory. The crossed-lesion split-brain group (CFHS) was markedly impaired on DNMS in both acquisition (rule learning) and performance over delays (recognition memory). The results provide evidence of a functionally dependent interaction between the medial temporal lobe and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in learning and memory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Neuronal properties of pyramidal cells in lateral prefrontal cortex of the aging rhesus monkey brain are associated with performance deficits on spatial working memory but not executive function.

Age-related declines in cognitive abilities occur as early as middle-age in humans and rhesus monkeys. Specifically, performance by aged individuals on tasks of executive function (EF) and working memory (WM) is characterized by greater frequency of errors, shorter memory spans, increased frequency of perseverative responses, impaired use of feedback and reduced speed of processing. However, how aging precisely differentially impacts specific aspects of these cognitive functions and the distinct brain areas mediating cognition are not well understood. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to mediate EF and WM and is an area that shows a vulnerability to age-related alterations in neuronal morphology. In the current study, we show that performance on EF and WM tasks exhibited significant changes with age and these impairments correlate with changes in biophysical properties of L3 pyramidal neurons in lateral LPFC (LPFC). Specifically, there was a significant age-related increase in excitability of Layer 3 LPFC pyramidal neurons, consistent with previous studies. Further, this age-related hyperexcitability of LPFC neurons was significantly correlated with age-related decline on a task of WM, but not an EF task. The current study characterizes age-related performance on tasks of WM and EF and provides insight into the neural substrates that may underlie changes in both WM and EF with age.

Curcumin improves reversal learning in middle-aged rhesus monkeys.

Age-related impairments in cognitive function occur in multiple animal species including humans and nonhuman primates. Humans and rhesus monkeys exhibit a similar pattern of cognitive decline beginning in middle age, particularly within the domain of executive function. The prefrontal cortex is the brain region most closely associated with mediating executive function. Previous studies in rhesus monkeys have demonstrated that normal aging leads to an increase in myelin degradation in the prefrontal regions that correlates with cognitive decline. This myelin deterioration is thought to result, at least in part, from the age-related emergence of chronic low levels of inflammation. One therapeutic that may arrest the deleterious effects of neuroinflammation is curcumin (CUR), the primary component of the spice turmeric. CUR has been shown to be a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and improves performance on tasks for working memory and motor function. In the present study, middle-aged monkeys (12-21 years old) were given daily dietary supplementation of 500 mg of curcumin or vehicle over a period of 3-4 years. Here, we present data from a series of both object and spatial reversal tasks. Compared to vehicle, the CUR group showed enhanced performance on object, but not spatial reversal learning. These findings suggest that curcumin may improve specific aspects of executive function. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship of age and hypertension with cognition and gray matter cerebral blood volume in a rhesus monkey model of human aging.

The goal of this study was to investigate whether alterations in cerebral microvasculature, as measured by cerebral blood volume (CBV), contribute to age- and hypertension-related impairments in cognitive function with a focus on executive function and memory. Data were collected on 19 male rhesus monkeys ranging from 6.4 to 21.6 years of age. Hypertension was induced through surgical coarctation of the thoracic aorta. We assessed whether performance on tasks of memory and executive function corresponded to CBV in either the hippocampus or prefrontal cortex. We found a relationship between duration of hypertension and CBV in the gray matter of the prefrontal cortex, but not the hippocampus. No relationships were found with the degree of hypertension or age. Increased prefrontal CBV was related to greater impairment in executive function while hippocampal CBV was not related to memory performance. These findings suggest that duration, but not severity, of hypertension or age are important factors underlying alterations in brain microvasculature and that executive function is more vulnerable than memory function. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Long-term effects of curcumin in the non-human primate brain.

Curcumin has recently been shown to be a potential treatment for slowing or ameloriating cognitive decline during aging in our nonhuman primate model of normal aging. In these same monkeys, we studied for the first time the neurological impacts of long-term curcumin treatments using longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sixteen rhesus monkeys received curcumin or a vehicle control for 14-18 months. We applied a combination of structural and diffusion MRI to determine whether the curcumin resulted in structural or functional changes in focal regions of the brain. The longitudinal imaging revealed decreased microscale diffusivity (mD) measurements mainly in the hippocampus and basal forebrain structures of curcumin treated animals. Changes in generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) and grey matter density (GMd) measurements indicated an increased grey matter density in cortical ROIs with improved white matter integrity in limbic, cerebellar, and brain stem regions. These findings suggest that noticeable changes in the neuronal environment could be induced from long-term curcumin treatments. Results may provide a neurological basis on the recent findings demonstrating improved spatial working memory and motor function in nonhuman primates.

Oral curcumin supplementation improves fine motor function in the middle-aged rhesus monkey.

Aged individuals experience decreased fine motor function of the hand and digits, which could result, in part, from the chronic, systemic state of inflammation that occurs with aging. Recent research for treating age-related inflammation has focused on the effects of nutraceuticals that have anti-inflammatory properties. One particular dietary polyphenol, curcumin, the principal curcuminoid of the spice turmeric, has been shown to have significant anti-inflammatory effects and there is mounting evidence that curcumin may serve to reduce systemic inflammation. Therefore, it could be useful for alleviating age-related impairments in fine motor function. To test this hypothesis we assessed the efficacy of a dietary intervention with a commercially available optimized curcumin to ameliorate or delay the effects of aging on fine motor function of the hand of rhesus monkeys. We administered oral daily doses of curcumin or a control vehicle to 11 monkeys over a 14- to 18-month period in which they completed two rounds of fine motor function testing. The monkeys receiving curcumin were significantly faster at retrieving a food reward by round 2 of testing than monkeys receiving a control vehicle. Further, the monkeys receiving curcumin demonstrated a greater degree of improvement in performance on our fine motor task by round 2 of testing than monkeys receiving a control vehicle. These findings reveal that fine motor function of the hand and digits is improved in middle-aged monkeys receiving chronic daily administration of curcumin.

Retained executive abilities in mild cognitive impairment are associated with increased white matter network connectivity.

PURPOSE: To describe structural network differences in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with high versus low executive abilities, as reflected by measures of white matter connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. Of the 128 participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database who had both a DTI scan as well as a diagnosis of MCI, we used an executive function score to classify the top 15 scoring patients as high executive ability, and the bottom-scoring 16 patients as low executive ability. Using a regions-of-interest-based analysis, we constructed networks and calculated graph theory measures on the constructed networks. We used automated tractography in order to compare differences in major white matter tracts. RESULTS: The high executive ability group yielded greater network size, density and clustering coefficient. The high executive ability group reflected greater fractional anisotropy bilaterally in the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi. CONCLUSIONS: The network measures of the high executive ability group demonstrated greater white matter integrity. This suggests that white matter reserve may confer greater protection of executive abilities. Loss of this reserve may lead to greater impairment in the progression to Alzheimer's disease dementia. KEY POINTS: • The MCI high executive ability group yielded a larger network. • The MCI high executive ability group had greater FA in numerous tracts. • White matter reserve may confer greater protection of executive abilities. • Loss of executive reserve may lead to greater impairment in AD dementia.

Functional brain networks involved in decision-making under certain and uncertain conditions.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe imaging markers of decision-making under uncertain conditions in normal individuals, in order to provide baseline activity to compare to impaired decision-making in pathological states. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 19 healthy subjects ages 18-35 completed a novel decision-making card-matching task using a Phillips T3 Scanner and a 32-channel head coil. Functional data were collected in six functional runs. In one condition of the task, the participant was certain of the rule to apply to match the cards; in the other condition, the participant was uncertain. We performed cluster-based comparison of the two conditions using FSL fMRI Expert Analysis Tool and network-based analysis using MATLAB. RESULTS: The uncertain > certain comparison yielded three clusters-a midline cluster that extended through the midbrain, the thalamus, bilateral prefrontal cortex, the striatum, and bilateral parietal/occipital clusters. The certain > uncertain comparison yielded bilateral clusters in the insula, parietal and temporal lobe, as well as a medial frontal cluster. A larger, more connected functional network was found in the uncertain condition. CONCLUSION: The involvement of the insula, parietal cortex, temporal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and orbitofrontal cortex of the certain condition reinforces the notion that certainty is inherently rewarding. For the uncertain condition, the involvement of the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, striatum, thalamus, amygdala, and hippocampal involvement was expected, as these are areas involved in resolving uncertainty and rule updating. The involvement of occipital cortical involvement and midbrain involvement may be attributed to increased visual attention and increased motor control.

Chronic curcumin treatment improves spatial working memory but not recognition memory in middle-aged rhesus monkeys.

Studies of both humans and non-human primates have demonstrated that aging is typically characterized by a decline in cognition that can occur as early as the fifth decade of life. Age-related changes in working memory are particularly evident and mediated, in part, by the prefrontal cortex, an area known to evidence age-related changes in myelin that is attributed to inflammation. In recent years, several nutraceuticals, including curcumin, by virtue of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, have received considerable attention as potential treatments for age-related cognitive decline and inflammation. Accordingly, we assessed for the first time in a non-human primate model of normal aging the efficacy of dietary intervention using the natural phenol curcumin to ameliorate the effects of aging on spatial working and recognition memory. Results revealed that monkeys receiving daily administration of curcumin over 14-18 months demonstrated a greater improvement in performance on repeated administration of a task of spatial working memory compared to monkeys that received a control substance.

Translational models for vascular cognitive impairment: a review including larger species.

BACKGROUND: Disease models are useful for prospective studies of pathology, identification of molecular and cellular mechanisms, pre-clinical testing of interventions, and validation of clinical biomarkers. Here, we review animal models relevant to vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). A synopsis of each model was initially presented by expert practitioners. Synopses were refined by the authors, and subsequently by the scientific committee of a recent conference (International Conference on Vascular Dementia 2015). Only peer-reviewed sources were cited. METHODS: We included models that mimic VCI-related brain lesions (white matter hypoperfusion injury, focal ischaemia, cerebral amyloid angiopathy) or reproduce VCI risk factors (old age, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia, high-salt/high-fat diet) or reproduce genetic causes of VCI (CADASIL-causing Notch3 mutations). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that (1) translational models may reflect a VCI-relevant pathological process, while not fully replicating a human disease spectrum; (2) rodent models of VCI are limited by paucity of white matter; and (3) further translational models, and improved cognitive testing instruments, are required.

Causal evidence supporting functional dissociation of verbal and spatial working memory in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

The human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is crucial for monitoring and manipulating information in working memory, but whether such contributions are domain-specific remains unsettled. Neuroimaging studies have shown bilateral dlPFC activity associated with working memory independent of the stimulus domain, but the causality of this relationship cannot be inferred. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has the potential to test whether the left and right dlPFC contribute equally to verbal and spatial domains; however, this is the first study to investigate the interaction of task domain and hemisphere using offline rTMS to temporarily modulate dlPFC activity. In separate sessions, 20 healthy right-handed adults received 1 Hz rTMS to the left dlPFC and right dlPFC, plus the vertex as a control site. The working memory performance was assessed pre-rTMS and post-rTMS using both verbal-'letter' and spatial-'location' versions of the 3-back task. The response times were faster post-rTMS, independent of the task domain or stimulation condition, indicating the influence of practice or other nonspecific effects. For accuracy, rTMS of the right dlPFC, but not the left dlPFC or vertex, led to a transient dissociation, reducing spatial, but increasing verbal accuracy. A post-hoc correlation analysis found no relationship between these changes, indicating that the substrates underlying the verbal and spatial domains are functionally independent. Collapsing across time, there was a trend towards a double dissociation, suggesting a potential laterality in the functional organisation of verbal and spatial working memory. At a minimum, these findings provide human evidence for domain-specific contributions of the dlPFC to working memory and reinforce the potential of rTMS to ameliorate cognition.

Impairment in delayed nonmatching to sample following lesions of dorsal prefrontal cortex.

The prefrontal cortex has been identified as essential for executive function, as well as for aspects of rule learning and recognition memory. As part of our studies to assess prefrontal cortical function in the monkey, we evaluated the effects of damage to the dorsal prefrontal cortex (DPFC) on the Category Set Shifting Task (CSST), a test of abstraction and set-shifting, and on the Delayed Nonmatching to Sample (DNMS) task, a benchmark test of rule learning and recognition memory. The DPFC lesions in this study included dorsolateral and dorsomedial aspects of the PFC. In a previous report, we published evidence of an impairment on the CSST as a consequence of DPFC lesions (Moore, Schettler, Killiany, Rosene, & Moss, 2009). Here we report that monkeys with lesions of the DPFC were also markedly impaired relative to controls on both the acquisition (rule learning) and performance (recognition memory) conditions of trial-unique DNMS. The presence and extent of the deficits that we observed were of some surprise and support the possibility that the dorsal prefrontal cortex plays a more direct role in learning and recognition memory than had been previously thought.

Recovery from ischemia in the middle-aged brain: a nonhuman primate model.

Studies of recovery from stroke mainly utilize rodent models and focus primarily on young subjects despite the increased prevalence of stroke with age and the fact that recovery of function is more limited in the aged brain. In the present study, a nonhuman primate model of cortical ischemia was developed to allow the comparison of impairments in young and middle-aged monkeys. Animals were pretrained on a fine motor task of the hand and digits and then underwent a surgical procedure to map and lesion the hand-digit representation in the dominant motor cortex. Animals were retested until performance returned to preoperative levels. To assess the recovery of grasp patterns, performance was videotaped and rated using a scale adapted from human occupational therapy. Results demonstrated that the impaired hand recovers to baseline in young animals in 65-80 days and in middle-aged animals in 130-150 days. However, analysis of grasp patterns revealed that neither group recover preoperative finger thumb grasp patterns, rather they develop compensatory movements.

How the primate fornix is affected by age.

The effects of age on nerve fibers and neuroglial cells in the fornix were examined in 25 rhesus monkeys between 4 and 33 years of age. There is no age-related change in the cross-sectional area of the fornix, but there is a significant loss of myelinated nerve fibers. The loss of myelinated nerve fibers is accompanied by a significant increase in the numbers of nerve fibers that show degeneration of their axons and alterations in myelin sheaths. Aging also brings about an increase in the frequency of profiles of paranodes, indicating that some of the nerve fibers are being remyelinated. Aging also affects neuroglial cells. Each type shows inclusions in their perikarya, and in the case of astrocytes and microglial cells some of these inclusions are phagocytosed myelin. Numbers of astrocytes and microglial cells do not appear to increase with age, but there is a 20% increase in oligodendrocytes. When correlations with cognitive impairments displayed by individual monkeys are examined, the decreased packing density of nerve fibers and the increasing frequency of nerve fibers with degenerating axons and of nerve fibers with altered myelin sheaths all correlate with increasing cognitive impairment. It is suggested that these correlations result from some disconnection of the hippocampus from the thalamus, septal nuclei, and medial frontal cortex and from reductions in the conduction velocity brought about by the shorter internodal lengths of remyelinated nerve fibers in the fornix.

Assessment of motor function of the hand in aged rhesus monkeys.

In the elderly, intact motor functions of the upper extremity are critical for the completion of activities of daily living. Many studies have provided insight into age-related changes in motor function. However, the precise nature and extent of motor impairments of the upper extremity remains unclear. In the current study we have modified two tasks to assess hand/digit function in both young and aged rhesus monkeys. We tested monkeys from 9 to 26 years of age on these tasks to determine the level of fine motor performance across the adult age range. Compared to young monkeys (9-12 years of age), aged monkeys (15-26 years of age) were mildly impaired on fine motor control of the digits. These findings are consistent with previous studies that have found age-related impairment in fine motor function. However, the magnitude and extent of impairment in the current study does differ from previous findings and is likely due to methodological differences in the degree of task complexity.

Effects on executive function following damage to the prefrontal cortex in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta).

Executive function is a term used to describe the cognitive processes subserved by the prefrontal cortex (PFC). An extensive body of work has characterized the effects of damage to the PFC in nonhuman primates, but it has focused primarily on the capacity of recognition and working memory. One limitation in studies of the functional parcellation of the PFC has been the absence of tests that assess executive function or its functional components. The current study used an adaptation of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, a classic test of frontal lobe and executive function in humans, to assess the effects of bilateral lesions in the dorsolateral PFC on executive function in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). The authors used the category set-shifting task, which requires the monkey to establish a pattern of responding to a specific category (color or shape) based on reward contingency, maintain that pattern of responding, and then shift to responding to a different category when the reward contingency changes. Rhesus monkeys with lesions of the dorsolateral PFC were impaired in abstraction, establishing a response pattern to a specific category and maintaining and shifting that response pattern on the category set-shifting task.

A rhesus monkey reference label atlas for template driven segmentation.

BACKGROUND: We have acquired dual-echo spin-echo (DE SE) MRI data of the rhesus monkey brain since 1994 as part of an ongoing study of normal aging. To analyze these legacy data for regional volume changes, we have created a reference label atlas for the Template Driven Segmentation (TDS) algorithm. METHODS: The atlas was manually created from DE SE legacy MRI data of one behaviorally normal, young, male rhesus monkey and consisted of 14 regions of interest (ROI's). We analyzed the reproducibility and validity of the TDS algorithm using the atlas relative to manual segmentation. RESULTS: ROI volumes were comparable between the two segmentation methodologies, except TDS overestimated the volume of basal ganglia regions. Both methodologies were highly reproducible, but TDS had lower sensitivity and comparable specificity. CONCLUSIONS: TDS segmentation calculates accurate volumes for most ROI's. Sensitivity will be improved in future studies through the acquisition of higher quality data.

An MRI study of age-related white and gray matter volume changes in the rhesus monkey.

We applied the automated MRI segmentation technique Template Driven Segmentation (TDS) to dual-echo spin echo (DE SE) images of eight young (5-12 years), six middle-aged (16-19 years) and eight old (24-30 years) rhesus monkeys. We analyzed standardized mean volumes for 18 anatomically defined regions of interest (ROI's) and found an overall decrease from young to old age in the total forebrain (5.01%), forebrain parenchyma (5.24%), forebrain white matter (11.53%), forebrain gray matter (2.08%), caudate nucleus (11.79%) and globus pallidus (18.26%). Corresponding behavioral data for five of the young, five of the middle-aged and seven of the old subjects on the Delayed Non-matching to Sample (DNMS) task, the Delayed-recognition Span Task (DRST) and the Cognitive Impairment Index (CII) were also analyzed. We found that none of the cognitive measures were related to ROI volume changes in our sample size of monkeys.