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Memories enable the retrieval of specific events in the past while building generalizable knowledge that guides inference in new situations. According to a prominent conceptualization, serving both of these adaptive functions requires pattern separation, pattern completion, and generalization as distinct sets of complementary component processes. It is not known whether these three processes are separable in early childhood or whether they originally represent a single dimension of memorability that differentiates in middle childhood. Based on a selection of13 memory tasks, we will address this question though hypothesis-guided tests of differences in the factor structure of memory performance between younger and older groups of children (two groups, 48–59 versus 72–83 months of age, n = 120per group) using structural equation modeling. The results of this study will pave the way for a process-based and systemic understanding of memory development during childhood.

Analyses of MRI-indexed substantia nigra and locus coeruleus integrity in participants of the Berlin Aging Study-II (study website: https://www.base2.mpg.de/en)

This subproject will investigate neural processes prior to incoming novel information.

Authors: Martin J. Dahl* 1,2, Mara Mather 2, Markus Werkle-Bergner 1, Briana L. Kennedy 2,3, Samuel Guzman 4, Kyle Hurth4, Carol A. Miller 4, Yuchuan Qiao 5, Yonggang Shi5, Helena C. Chui 6, & John M. Ringman 6 Affiliations: 1 Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany 2 Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089 Los Angeles, CA, USA 3 School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia 4 Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA 5 Laboratory of Neuro Imaging (LONI), USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA 6 Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 90033 Los Angeles, CA, USA * Corresponding author: MJD (dahl [at] mpib-berlin.mpg.de) We aimed at improving the reliability and validity of MR-based locus coeruleus detection. Leveraging a meta-analytical approach, we aggregated across previously published maps of the locus coeruleus (Betts et al., 2017; Dahl et al., 2019; Keren et al., 2009; Liu et al., 2019; Tona et al., 2017; Ye et al., 2020) to derive a biologically plausible volume of interest (meta mask) that shows high agreement across investigations. We freely share the locus coeruleus meta mask with the scientific community. For a description of the methods, please see: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.16.20232561

Code and data for the article titled "Noradrenergic responsiveness supports selective attention across the adult lifespan" Journal of Neuroscience 27 May 2020, 40 (22) 4372-4390; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0398-19.2020 (Preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/551879v2) Authors: Martin J. Dahl[1], Mara Mather[2], Myriam C. Sander[1], & Markus Werkle-Bergner[1] Affiliations: [1] Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany [2] Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089 Los Angeles, USA