1. Age-related reduction in anxiety and neural encoding of negative emotional memory
- Author
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Shefali Chaudhary, Sheng Zhang, Yu Chen, Jacqueline C. Dominguez, Herta H. Chao, and Chiang-Shan R. Li
- Subjects
aging ,anxiety ,negative emotion ,memory ,fMRI ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
IntroductionOlder adults experience less anxiety. We examined how memory of negative emotional images varied with age and may reflect age-related differences in anxiety.MethodsFifty-one adults, age 22-80 years, underwent imaging with a memory task where negative and neutral images were displayed pseudo-randomly. They were queried post-scan about the images inter-mixed with an equal number of images never displayed. Sensitivity (d’) and reporting bias (Z-score of false alarm rate; Z[FAR]) were quantified with signal detection theory.ResultsAge was negatively correlated with both Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) state score and d’ (negative – neutral) and positively with Z[FAR] (negative – neutral). However, STAI score and d’ or Z[FAR] (negative – neutral) were not significantly correlated. In whole-brain regression, STAI score was correlated with higher activity of the right middle/superior temporal gyri/temporal parietal junction (MTG/STG/TPJ) for “negative correct – incorrect” – “neutral correct – incorrect” trials. Further, the MTG/STG/TPJ activity (β) was also negatively correlated with age. Mediation analyses supported a complete mediation model of age → less anxiety → less MTG/STG/TPJ β.DiscussionTogether, the findings demonstrated age-related changes in negative emotional memory and how age-related reduction in anxiety is reflected in diminished temporoparietal cortical activities during encoding of negative emotional memory. more...
- Published
- 2024
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