title: Neural patterns underlying the effect of negative distractors on working memory in older adults.
abstract: Working memory (WM) declines with age. Older adults, however, perform similar to younger adults in WM tasks with negative distractors at low WM load. To clarify the neural basis of this phenomenon, older (n = 28) and younger (n = 24) adults performed an emotional n-back task during an fMRI scan, and activity in task-related regions was examined. Comparing negative with neutral distraction at low WM load, older adults demonstrated shorter reaction times (RT) and reduced activation in frontoparietal regions: bilateral middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and left parietal cortex. They also had greater coherence within the frontoparietal network, as well as greater deactivation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. These patterns probably contributed to the older adults' diminished distractibility by negative task-irrelevant stimuli. Since recruitment of control mechanisms was less required, the frontoparietal network was less activated and performance was improved. Faster RT during the negative condition was related to lesser activation of the MFG in both age groups, corroborating the functional significance of this region to WM across the lifespan.
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Tel Aviv Center for Brain Functions, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: nd.m101@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Noga
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oren
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Center for Memory and Attention Disorders, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Elissa L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Ash
authors.affiliation: Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarrasch
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Tel Aviv Center for Brain Functions, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Talma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hendler
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giladi
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Irit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shapira-Lichter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000679:Amygdala / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aging; Distractibility; Emotion