title: White matter and cognitive decline in aging: a focus on processing speed and variability.
abstract: White matter (WM) change plays an important role in age-related cognitive decline. In this review, we consider methodological advances with particular relevance to the role of WM in age-related changes in processing speed. In this context, intra-individual variability in processing speed performance has emerged as a sensitive proxy of cognitive and neurological decline while neuroimaging techniques used to assess WM change have become increasingly more sensitive. Together with a carefully designed task protocol, we emphasize that the combined implementation of intra-individual variability and neuroimaging techniques hold promise for specifying the WM-processing speed relationship with implications for normative and clinical samples.
authors: Institute of Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, United Kingdom.
authors: Jonna
authors: J
authors: Nilsson
authors: Institute of Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, United Kingdom.
authors: Alan J
authors: AJ
authors: Thomas
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors: John T
authors: JT
authors: O'Brien
authors: Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, United Kingdom.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*