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. 2014 Jan;35(1):247-53.
doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.07.024. Epub 2013 Aug 29.

Event-related potential index of age-related differences in memory processes in adults with Down syndrome

Alexandra P Key  1 , Elisabeth M Dykens
Affiliations

Event-related potential index of age-related differences in memory processes in adults with Down syndrome

Alexandra P Key et al. Neurobiol Aging. 2014 Jan.

Abstract

A major goal of aging research is to identify early markers of age-related cognitive decline. Persons with Down syndrome (DS) experience accelerated aging and high risks for dementia, making them a valuable albeit understudied model for testing such markers. This study examined event-related potential (ERP) indices of visual memory in younger (19-25 years) and older (35-40 years) adults with DS using a passive viewing paradigm that did not require memorization or behavioral responses. ERPs were recorded in response to unfamiliar urban and nature scenes, with some images presented once and others repeated multiple times. Within 600 to 900 milliseconds after stimulus onset, repeated stimuli elicited more positive amplitudes in younger participants, indicating stimilus recognition. ERPs of older adults did not show such increases, suggesting reduced memory functioning. ERP indices were unrelated to participants' intellectual functioning, but did correlate with age and caregiver-reported lethargy/withdrawal behaviors. Passive ERP measures of memory processes are sensitive to early stages of cognitive decline in DS and are promising markers of cognitive risk for future aging studies.

Keywords: Aging; Down syndrome; ERP; Learning; Memory.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure statement: The authors have no actual or potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Electrode clusters identified by spatial principal components analysis and used in the statistical analyses.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Event-related potentials (ERP) waveforms averaged across 4 analyzed electrode clusters for the 3 stimulus conditions recorded in younger (A) and older (B) participants with Down syndrome (DS).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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