Scientific Reports (Dec 2022)

Longitudinal stability in working memory and frontal activity in relation to general brain maintenance

  • Lars Nyberg,
  • Nina Karalija,
  • Goran Papenberg,
  • Alireza Salami,
  • Micael Andersson,
  • Robin Pedersen,
  • Tomas Vikner,
  • Douglas D. Garrett,
  • Katrine Riklund,
  • Anders Wåhlin,
  • Martin Lövdén,
  • Ulman Lindenberger,
  • Lars Bäckman

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25503-9
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Abstract Cognitive functions are well-preserved for some older individuals, but the underlying brain mechanisms remain disputed. Here, 5-year longitudinal 3-back in-scanner and offline data classified individuals in a healthy older sample (baseline age = 64–68 years) into having stable or declining working-memory (WM). Consistent with a vital role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), WM stability or decline was related to maintained or reduced longitudinal PFC functional responses. Subsequent analyses of imaging markers of general brain maintenance revealed higher levels in the stable WM group on measures of neurotransmission and vascular health. Also, categorical and continuous analyses showed that rate of WM decline was related to global (ventricles) and local (hippocampus) measures of neuronal integrity. Thus, our findings support a role of the PFC as well as general brain maintenance in explaining heterogeneity in longitudinal WM trajectories in aging.