Document Detail


Aging affects the neural representation of speed in Macaque area MT.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19037080     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Human perception of speed declines with age. Much of the decline is probably mediated by changes in the middle temporal (MT) area, an extrastriate area whose neural activity is linked to the perception of speed. In the present study, we used random-dot patterns to study the effects of aging on speed-tuning curves in cortical area MT of macaque visual cortex. Our results provide evidence for a significant degradation of speed selectivity in MT. Cells in old animals preferred lower speeds than did those in young animals. Response modulation and discriminative capacity for speed in old monkeys were also significantly weaker than those in young ones. Concurrently, MT cells in old monkeys showed increased baseline responses, peak responses and response variability, and these changes were accompanied by decreased signal-to-noise ratios. We also found that speed discrimination thresholds in old animals were higher than in young ones. The foregoing neural changes may mediate the declines in visual motion perception that occur during senescence.
Authors:
Yun Yang; Jie Zhang; Zhen Liang; Guangxing Li; Yongchang Wang; Yuanye Ma; Yifeng Zhou; Audie G Leventhal
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2008-11-26
Journal Detail:
Title:  Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)     Volume:  19     ISSN:  1460-2199     ISO Abbreviation:  Cereb. Cortex     Publication Date:  2009 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-08-07     Completed Date:  2009-10-21     Revised Date:  2010-09-02    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9110718     Medline TA:  Cereb Cortex     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1957-67     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Vision Research Laboratory, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aging / physiology*
Animals
Macaca mulatta / physiology*
Motion Perception / physiology*
Neural Inhibition / physiology*
Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
Reaction Time / physiology
Temporal Lobe / physiology*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
R01 AG 17922/AG/NIA NIH HHS

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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