Data_Sheet_1_Altered auditory processes pattern predicts cognitive decline in older adults: different modalities with aging.PDF

BackgroundCohort studies have shown that older adults with hearing impairment as assessed by self-report or behavioral measures are at higher risk of developing dementia many years later. A fine-grained examination of auditory processing holds promise for more effective screening of older adults at risk of cognitive decline. The auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) measure enables one to gain insights into the neurobiological substrate of central auditory processing. We hypothesized that older adults showing compromised indexes of MMN at baseline would exhibit cognitive decline at the one-year follow-up.MethodsWe performed cognitive evaluations with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS; Form A and Form B) in 108 community-dwelling older adults and acquired EEG via the classic passive auditory oddball paradigm at baseline and 12-month follow-up.ResultsThe results showed that young-old adults with future cognitive decline showed a decrease in MMN peak amplitude, accompanied by a forward-shifting latency, whereas in older adults it showed a delay in MMN latency, and unchanged MMN peak amplitude at midline electrodes (Fz, FCz and Cz). Furthermore, the peak amplitude of the MMN decreases with age in older adults aged 70–80 years rather than 60–70 years or > 80 years.ConclusionThe altered MMN model exists in different aging stages and it’s a promising electrophysiological predictor of cognitive decline in older adults. In addition, further research is needed to determine the neural mechanisms and potential implications of the accelerated decline in MMN in older adults.

背景：基于背景队列研究，老年人群中通过自我报告或行为测量评估的听力障碍者，在多年后发生痴呆的风险较高。对听觉处理过程的细致分析有望更有效地筛查易患认知衰退的老年人群。听觉失匹配负波（MMN）测量方法能够帮助人们深入了解中枢听觉处理的神经生物学基础。本研究假设，在基线时MMN指标受损的老年人群，在一年的随访中会出现认知衰退。方法：我们对108名居住社区的老年人群进行了认知评估，使用可重复性神经心理学状态评估电池（RBANS；A版和B版），并在基线及12个月随访时通过经典被动听觉奇偶范式获取脑电图（EEG）。结果：结果显示，未来可能出现认知衰退的年轻老年人群，其MMN峰值幅度降低，伴随潜伏期前移，而老年人群则表现为MMN潜伏期延迟，中线电极（Fz、FCz和Cz）处的MMN峰值幅度不变。此外，70-80岁的老年人群的MMN峰值幅度随着年龄增长而降低，而非60-70岁或>80岁的人群。结论：MMN模型的变化存在于不同的老龄化阶段，并且它是一个有希望的老年人群认知衰退的电生理预测指标。此外，需要进一步的研究来确定MMN在老年人群中加速衰退的神经机制及其潜在影响。