Decreased theta power at encoding and cognitive mapping deficits in elderly individuals during a spatial memory task.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of theta activity in cognitive mapping, and to determine whether age-associated decreased theta power may account for navigational difficulties in elderly individuals. Cerebral activity was recorded using electroencephalograph in young and older individuals performing a spatial memory task that required the creation of cognitive maps. Power spectra were computed in the frontal and parietal regions and correlated with recognition performance. We found that accuracy of cognitive mapping was positively correlated with left frontal theta activity during encoding in young adults but not in older individuals. Compared with young adults, older participants were impaired in the creation of cognitive maps and showed reduced theta and alpha activity at encoding. These results suggest that encoding processes are impaired in older individual, which may explain age-related cognitive mapping deficits.
['Lithfous|Ségolène|S|', 'Tromp|Delphine|D|', 'Dufour|André|A|', 'Pebayle|Thierry|T|', 'Goutagny|Romain|R|', 'Després|Olivier|O|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000375:Aging D000513:Alpha Rhythm D003071:Cognition D003072:Cognition Disorders D004569:Electroencephalography D005260:Female D005625:Frontal Lobe D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008568:Memory D008875:Middle Aged D065854:Spatial Navigation D013826:Theta Rhythm D055815:Young Adult
Theta Spatial memory Alpha Aging EEG