Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MEMOTION (Changing the course of cognitive decline in normal aging with positive emotions by training brain plasticity)

Teaser

\"Aging is a primary health concern in current society. The majority of the studies to date have focused on multi-systemic impairments that seniors suffer, giving special attention to cognitive deficits. However, only a few studies to date have emphasize the importance of...

Summary

\"Aging is a primary health concern in current society. The majority of the studies to date have focused on multi-systemic impairments that seniors suffer, giving special attention to cognitive deficits. However, only a few studies to date have emphasize the importance of well-preserved domains that also accompany progressing age. This is the case of emotional processing. There is a general consensus that healthy aging is characterized by an excellent emotional regulation. Specifically, older individuals are able to direct their attention towards emotionally positive information as compared to their younger counterparts. Hence, the general aim of the project MEMOTION was to use well-preserved emotional regulation in order to mitigate memory deficits in older individuals. I coined this emerging discipline as \"\"Positive aging\"\" (Fig. 1, 2 and 3).
It is clear that classical views, focusing on restoring or compensating age-related impairments, have not been enough to assure a decent quality of life in our elderly\'s latter days. In this line, the present project broadens the scope by including well-preserved domains in older individuals that, with the appropriate training, can significantly alleviate those impaired domains and eventually, improve day-to-day functioning. Importantly, we used the state-of-the art neuroimaging tools to measure whether those changes in cognitive and emotional processes were accompanied by a neural reorganization as a result of training, the so-called neuroplasticity.
We focused on three main objectives:
1. We develop a new experimental paradigm to identify an age-related decline in emotional memory and their neural substrates. The latter was explored with one neuroimaging technique, namely, electroencephalography (EEG)
2. We implemented an innovative training programme focused on improving age-related deficits in memory, using positive emotions
3. By means of a test-retest design, we used both cognitive tests and EEG to examine age-related changes in memory processes and the underlying neural networks (neuroplasticity) as a result of training



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Work performed

This is a longitudinal study, following a test-retest approach in three stages:
1) Stage I: 33 young and 37 older adults performed an exhaustive neuropsychological assessment and an EEG recording. The neuropsychological assessment targeted different cognitive processes, such as attention and memory. EEG activity was recorded in order to identify the underlying neural networks. The EEG experimental protocol (Fig. 4) included a resting state scan (RS1), a task-related scan (a memory task) and second resting state scan (RS2). RS1 and RS2 consisted on a 5-minute EEG recording, each, while participants fixated their eyes on a cross, without performing any explicit task. Task-related EEG scans here refer to a memory task participants performed while EEG activity was recorded
Remarkably, after completion of Stage I, Dr. Solesio-Jofre undertook an international secondment at University of Gent (Belgium) in order to learn the most innovative methods for EEG data analysis.
2) Stage II: Training programme on positive emotions (The Integrative Positive Psychological Intervention, IPPI). Young and older participants were randomly assigned to four different experimental groups, with approximately fifteen participants each: half of young and older participants performed the training programme and the other half were the control group. In this regard, the latter were assigned to the “Waiting list”, meaning that they performed the training programme after experiment completion. The IPPI is an innovative protocol composed of empirically-validated positive interventions that have been shown to be effective in increasing well-being. It was performed in 10 weekly sessions of 2 hours each, in a group format. Sessions were thematically sequenced to facilitate the experience and generation of positive emotions as early as possible in the program, including exercices of positive relationships, compassion, personal strengths, meaning in life, personal goals and resilience
3) Stage III The same sample of young and older individuals underwent this second assessment session, with the same structure as Stage I. We employed the same neuropsychological and EEG protocol as in Stage I in order to examine age-related differences in behavioural performance, as well as the underlying neural correlates, as a result of the IPPI
We are currently performing EEG data analysis on the RS scans and we have recently published our first results in a high impact journal. In this regard, we have observed EEG power increases in the resting brain after cognitive practice in young individuals, whereas older individuals show a more invariant pattern (Fig 5). This suggest that neuroplasticity, after short-term cognitive practice, is more evident in young individuals than in their older counterparts. Importantly, we are running our analyses with very innovative machine learning tools and we have been recently able to classify between young and older individuals. This has very important implications, indicating that EEG brain oscillations during rest can be used as a predictive tool to identify brain-related changes that occur with age.
Durgin the project life, we have placed special emphasis on dissemination, including ten outreach activities, such as the “European Researchers’ Night” and “Falling Walls Lab Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions” in Brussels (Belgium, Sep 0217). Additionally, we have participated in eight international conferences, for example: The 5th International Conference Aging & Cognition (Apr 2019, Switzerland) and the 47th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (Nov 2017, USA).

Final results

This is a pioneering project that approaches aging from the innovative perspective of positive psychology, combining both behavioural and neural measures. Despite classical views considering aging as a decadent period, we focused on well-preserved emotional processes as a powerful tool to counteract cognitive decline and, eventually, day-to-day functioning in older individuals. Not only the project conceptualization, but also, the methodology employed, goes beyond the state-of-the art. In this regard, we have used a high-density EEG equipment with 128 channels in a longitudinal experimental design. Moreover, we are using the most innovative methods for data analysis under the frame of Artificial Intelligence, such as machine learning paradigms. Last but not least, this is the first time the IPPI programme is applied to the elderly population. We are currently running data analyses regarding the IPPI programme. Our preliminary analyses show an age-related increase in focused attention towards positive information, associated with an increase in memory capacity, just after the completion of the IPPI programme. These results have great scientific and socio-economic implications and they will involve relevant return benefits to society: our seniors will greatly increase their autonomy in daily life activities thanks to interventions including elements from the IPPI programme. Hence, this pioneering research has very high potential. Not only in terms of the scientific outcome, but also regarding transfer of knowledge from experimental to health sectors. It is important to mention that this project has been recently awarded as the Best Marie Sklodowska-Curie project by the Regional Ministry of Education and Research of Madrid (Spain).