Aging Modulates the Resting Brain after a Memory Task: A Validation Study from Multivariate Models

Recent work has demonstrated that aging modulates the resting brain. However, the study of these modulations after cognitive practice, resulting from a memory task, has been scarce. This work aims at examining age-related changes in the functional reorganization of the resting brain after cognitive training, namely, neuroplasticity, by means of the most innovative tools for data analysis. To this end, electroencephalographic activity was recorded in 34 young and 38 older participants. Different methods for data analyses, including frequency, time-frequency and machine learning-based prediction models were conducted. Results showed reductions in Alpha power in old compared to young adults in electrodes placed over posterior and anterior areas of the brain. Moreover, young participants showed Alpha power increases after task performance, while their older counterparts exhibited a more invariant pattern of results. These results were significant in the 140–160 s time window in electrodes placed over anterior regions of the brain. Machine learning analyses were able to accurately classify participants by age, but failed to predict whether resting state scans took place before or after the memory task. These findings greatly contribute to the development of multivariate tools for electroencephalogram (EEG) data analysis and improve our understanding of age-related changes in the functional reorganization of the resting brain

Primer plan de saneamiento de Madrid/España

Not available.Conducción de aguas residuales en el madrid de 1700. A pesar de encontrarnos en el año 1700, Madrid carecía de una red de conducciones de aguas residuales. El grito de «agua va» era todavía la voz dominante en pleno siglo XVIII, cuando nuestra Capital presumía de gran Ciudad europea. El problema era candente y difícil de resolver. Después de muchos estudios, se llega al convencimiento de llevar a la práctica el proyecto del Ingeniero Arquitecto Don José de Arce nombrado por el Real Consejo

Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social: criterios de actuación y fundamentación jurídica (caso práctico)

El presente caso práctico reproduce el enunciado del supuesto referido a la actividad de la Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social que se planteó como cuarto ejercicio en la convocatoria de la oposición para el ingreso en el Cuerpo Superior de Inspectores de Trabajo y Seguridad Social correspondiente a 2002 (Orden TAS/1326/2002, de 23 de mayo –BOE de 6-6-2002–), cuyos ejercicios se han desarrollado en el año 2003. En él se efectúa un análisis de las cuestiones derivadas del planteamiento, incorporando la fundamentación jurídica de la respuesta

Magnetoencephalographic assessment of changes in brain activity in normal aging when performing a task under interference conditions

Determinar si la realización de una tarea de reconocimiento con interferencia activa, producía cambios en los patrones de activación cerebral con respecto a la presentación de otra con interferencia pasiva. Población y metodología: en veinte ancianos sanos se midió con magnetoencefalografía. Se realizó a cada uno de ellos la escala de Memoria de Wechsler-III (WMS-III), la escala de Inteligencia de Wechsler, el Boston Naming Test, el test de fluidez verbal, el test de clasificación de tarjetas de Wisconsin, el trail Making Test y el test de colores y palabras (STROOP). Los registros se llevaron a cabo mediante un magnetoencefalógrafo de 148 canales capaz de medir la actividad magnética generada en toda la convexidad craneal. Resultados: encontramos una mayor activación en la condición de interferencia activa en las regiones mediales temporales, corteza visual, y región ventral anterior durante los primeros 400 milisegundos en el hemisferio izquierdo y únicamente en el derecho para la corteza visual, mientras que en la condición de interferencia pasiva, se obtuvo una mayor activación en la región ventral anterior durante los 700-800 milisegundos en el hemisferio izquierdo. Conclusión: la presentación de estos dos tipos de interferencia, activa y pasiva, modula los patrones de activación fronto-temporales en el envejecimiento normalTo determine whether performing a recognition task under interference conditions produces changes in brain activity pattern compared with the activity seen under conditions of passive interference. Population and methods: Twenty healthy elderly subjects were subjected to magnetoencephalography. In each patient we applied the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, the Boston Naming Test, the verbal fluency test, the Wisconsin card classification test, the Trail Making Test and the colors and words test (STROOP). The recordings were made using a 148-channel magnetoencephalograph capable of measuring the magnetic activity generated within the entire cranial convexity. Results: Greater activation was recorded under active interference conditions in the medial temporal regions, visual cortex and anterior ventral area in the first 400 ms in the left hemisphere and only in the right hemisphere for the visual cortex, while under passive interference conditions, increased activation was obtained in the anterior ventral region during the 700-800 ms in the left hemisphere. Conclusion: The presentation of both types of interference, active and passive, modulates the fronto-temporal activation patterns in normal agin

Age-Related Effects in Working Memory Recognition Modulated by Retroactive Interference

One of the main causes for age-related declines in working memory is a higher vulnerability to retroactive interference due to a reduced ability to suppress irrelevant information. However, the underlying neural correlates remain to be established. Magnetoencephalography was used to investigate differential neural patterns in young and older adults performing an interference-based memory task with two experimental conditions, interrupting and distracting, during successful recognition. Behaviorally, both types of retroactive interference significantly impaired accuracy at recognition more in older adults than in young adults with the latter exhibiting greater disruptions by interrupters. Magnetoencephalography revealed the presence of differential age-related neural patterns. Specifically, time-modulated activations in temporo-occipital and superior parietal regions were higher in young adults compared with older adults for the interrupting condition. These results suggest that age-related deficits in inhibitory mechanisms that increase vulnerability to retroactive interference may be associated with neural under-recruitments in a high-interference task

Changes in brain activity in normal aging in an interference task tested by magnetoencephalography

La presentación de estímulos que interfieren en el mantenimiento de una información previa dificulta el reconocimiento posterior de ésta. La resistencia a la interferencia disminuye en el envejecimiento normal, aspecto que se traduce en una peor ejecución de tareas que comprometen a la memoria operativa y que podría estar relacionado con una disfunción ejecutiva. Nuestro objetivo consistió en comprobar si la realización de una tarea de reconocimiento con interferencia activa, producía cambios en los patrones de activación cerebral con respecto a la presentación de otra con interferencia pasiva, en una muestra de veinte ancianos sanos y medido con magnetoencefalografía. Los resultados mostraron la presencia de una mayor activación en la condición de interferencia activa en las regiones mediales temporales, corteza visual, y región ventral anterior durante los primeros 400 milisegundos en el hemisferio izquierdo y únicamente en el derecho para la corteza visual, mientras que en la condición de interferencia pasiva, se obtuvo una mayor activación en la región ventral anterior durante los 700-800 milisegundos en el hemisferio izquierdo. Todo ello sugiere que la presentación de estos dos tipos de interferencia, activa y pasiva, modula los patrones de activación fronto-temporales en el envejecimiento normalThe presentation of stimuli interfering with the maintenance of previous information makes difficult the subsequent recognition of it. The interference resistance decreases in normal aging, which is evidenced as a worse performance in tasks affecting working memory and that could be related to an executive dysfunction. Our aim was to establish if performing a recognition task under active interference conditions caused changes in brain activation patterns from the performance of another task under passive interference conditions in a sample of 20 healthy elderly patients, measured with magnetoencephalography. The results evidenced the presence of a greater activation under active interference conditions in the medial temporal regions, visual cortex and anterior ventral area in the first 400 milliseconds in the left hemisphere and only in the right hemisphere for the visual cortex, while under passive interference conditions, a greater activation was obtained in the anterior ventral region during the 700-800 milliseconds in the left hemisphere. All of this suggests that the presentation of both types of interference, active and passive, modulates the fronto-temporal activation patterns in normal agin

Evaluating the effect of aging on interference resolution with time-varying complex networks analysis

In this study we used graph theory analysis to investigate age-related reorganization of functional networks during the active maintenance of information that is interrupted by external interference. Additionally, we sought to investigate network differences before and after averaging network parameters between both maintenance and interference windows. We compared young and older adults by measuring their magnetoencephalographic recordings during an interference-based working memory task restricted to successful recognitions. Data analysis focused on the topology/temporal evolution of functional networks during both the maintenance and interference windows. We observed that: (a) Older adults require higher synchronization between cortical brain sites in order to achieve a successful recognition, (b) The main differences between age groups arise during the interference window, (c) Older adults show reduced ability to reorganize network topology when interference is introduced, and (d) Averaging network parameters leads to a loss of sensitivity to detect age differencesThis work has been supported by the Spanish MINECO under project [FIS2013-41057], as well as Fundación Carolina Doctoral Scholarship Program and Colciencias Doctoral Program 56

Evaluating the effect of aging on interference resolution with time-varying complex networks analysis

In this study we used graph theory analysis to investigate age-related reorganization of functional networks during the active maintenance of information that is interrupted by external interference. Additionally, we sought to investigate network differences before and after averaging network parameters between both maintenance and interference windows. We compared young and older adults by measuring their magnetoencephalographic recordings during an interference-based working memory task restricted to successful recognitions. Data analysis focused on the topology/temporal evolution of functional networks during both the maintenance and interference windows. We observed that: (a) Older adults require higher synchronization between cortical brain sites in order to achieve a successful recognition, (b) The main differences between age groups arise during the interference window, (c) Older adults show reduced ability to reorganize network topology when interference is introduced, and (d) Averaging network parameters leads to a loss of sensitivity to detect age differencesThis work has been supported by the Spanish MINECO under project [FIS2013-41057], as well as Fundación Carolina Doctoral Scholarship Program and Colciencias Doctoral Program 56

Evaluating the effect of aging on interference resolution with time-varying complex networks analysis

In this study we used graph theory analysis to investigate age-related reorganization of functional networks during the active maintenance of information that is interrupted by external interference. Additionally, we sought to investigate network differences before and after averaging network parameters between both maintenance and interference windows. We compared young and older adults by measuring their magnetoencephalographic recordings during an interference-based working memory task restricted to successful recognitions. Data analysis focused on the topology/temporal evolution of functional networks during both the maintenance and interference windows. We observed that: (a) Older adults require higher synchronization between cortical brain sites in order to achieve a successful recognition, (b) The main differences between age groups arise during the interference window, (c) Older adults show reduced ability to reorganize network topology when interference is introduced, and (d) Averaging network parameters leads to a loss of sensitivity to detect age differences. © 2015 Ariza, Solesio-Jofre, Martínez, Pineda-Pardo, Niso, Maestú and Buldú

Carbonic anhydrase inhibition selectively prevents amyloid b neurovascular mitochondrial toxicity

Mounting evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a causal role in the etiology and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We recently showed that the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (CAI) methazolamide (MTZ) prevents amyloid b (Ab)-mediated onset of apoptosis in the mouse brain. In this study, we used MTZ and, for the first time, the analog CAI acetazolamide (ATZ) in neuronal and cerebral vascular cells challenged with Ab, to clarify their protective effects and mitochondrial molecular mechanism of action. The CAIs selectively inhibited mitochondrial dysfunction pathways induced by Ab, without affecting metabolic function. ATZ was effective at concentrations 10 times lower than MTZ. Both MTZ and ATZ prevented mitochondrial membrane depolarization and H2O2 generation, with no effects on intracellular pH or ATP production. Importantly, the drugs did not primarily affect calcium homeostasis. This work suggests a new role for carbonic anhydrases (CAs) in the Ab-induced mitochondrial toxicity associated with AD and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), and paves the way to AD clinical trials for CAIs, FDA-approved drugs with a well-known profile of brain delivery