Cognitive function, P3a/P3b brain potentials, and cortical thickness in aging.

Full Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between the P3a/P3b brain potentials, cortical thickness, and cognitive function in aging. Thirty-five younger and 37 older healthy participants completed a visual three-stimuli oddball ERP (event-related potential)-paradigm, a battery of neuropsychological tests, and MRI scans. Groups with short vs. long latency, and low vs. high amplitude, were compared on a point by point basis across the entire cortical mantle. In the young, thickness was only weakly related to P3. In the elderly, P3a amplitude effects were found in parietal areas, the temporoparietal junction, and parts of the posterior cingulate cortex. P3b latency was especially related to cortical thickness in large frontal regions. Path models with the whole sample pooled together were constructed, demonstrating that cortical thickness in the temporoparietal cortex predicted P3a amplitude, which in turn predicted executive function, and that thickness in orbitofrontal cortex predicted P3b latency, which in turn predicted fluid function. When age was included in the model, the relationship between P3 and cognitive function vanished, while the relationship between regional cortical thickness and P3 remained. It is concluded that thickness in specific cortical areas correlates with scalp recorded P3a/P3b in elderly, and that these relationships differentially mediate higher cognitive function. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Author information

Author/s: Fjell, Anders M (AM); Walhovd, Kristine B (KB); Fischl, Bruce (B); Reinvang, Ivar (I);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway. a.m.fjell(-atsign-)psykologi.uio.no

Grants: P41-RR14075 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; R01 EB001550 (Agency:NIBIB NIH HHS) ; R01 RR16594-01A1 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; U24 RR021382 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Human brain mapping (Hum Brain Mapp), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Nov; vol 28 (issue 11) : pp 1098-116

Dates: Created 2007/10/18; Completed 2008/01/08;

PMID: 17370342, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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