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The Effect Of Age-Related Declines In Inhibitory Control On Audiovisual Speech Intelligibility, Avanti Dey Dec 2013

The Effect Of Age-Related Declines In Inhibitory Control On Audiovisual Speech Intelligibility, Avanti Dey

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Audiovisual: AV) speech perception is perception in which both auditory and visual information is available in order to understand a talker, compared to an auditory signal alone, during face-to-face communication. This form of communication yields significantly higher word recognition performance as compared to either sensory modality alone, constituting a general AV advantage for speech perception. Despite an overall AV advantage, older adults seem to receive less benefit from this bimodal presentation than do younger adults. However, there is evidence to suggest that not all age-related deficits in AV speech perception are of a sensory nature, but are also influenced by …


An Investigation Into Peripersonal Space Representations In Older Adults, Emily K. Bloesch Aug 2013

An Investigation Into Peripersonal Space Representations In Older Adults, Emily K. Bloesch

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peripersonal space is the space immediately surrounding one's body. This space is believed to have a unique representation in order to facilitate successful interaction with the surrounding environment. Supporting this theory, there are consistent findings of changes in cognition within as compared to beyond peripersonal space, including differences in visual attention and perception. However, research on peripersonal space in healthy populations has largely focused on young adults. Representations of peripersonal space take place in multimodal brain regions, areas that show structural and functional changes during senescence. Because of this, there is reason to suspect that older adults represent peripersonal space …


Diffusion Tensor Imaging And Neuropsychological Performance In Insulin Resistant Individuals, Elizabeth M. Lane May 2013

Diffusion Tensor Imaging And Neuropsychological Performance In Insulin Resistant Individuals, Elizabeth M. Lane

Dissertations

The current study sought to understand relationships between insulin resistance (IR), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and cognitive performance. It was hypothesized that IR would have a negative impact upon white matter and cognition. It was predicted that the uncinate fasciculus would be the most severely impacted, and this in turn would affect executive function and memory. Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of IR on white matter brain integrity among cognitively normal older adults using DTI and neuropsychological test performance. Background: The prevalence of IR has increased with growing incidence of obesity and older aged …


Assessment Of The Semantic Knowledge Network In Older Adults With Familial History Of Alzheimer's Disease, Erin Marie Holcomb Jan 2013

Assessment Of The Semantic Knowledge Network In Older Adults With Familial History Of Alzheimer's Disease, Erin Marie Holcomb

Wayne State University Dissertations

Current techniques for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease rely on early implementation, which necessitates the need for accurate and early identification of individuals most at risk for future cognitive decline. Research has demonstrated the usefulness of examining the temporal gradient for long-term semantic knowledge in identification of such individuals. The assessment of the temporal gradient within varying levels of knowledge specificity, however, has received considerably less attention. In this study, we aimed to contrast accuracy and reaction times for semantic memory tasks tapping multiple dimensions of semantic specificity from multiple time epochs in adult children with and without a parental …


Memory, Cognition, And The Effect Of A Music Intervention On Healthy Older Adults, Shannon L. Bowles Jan 2013

Memory, Cognition, And The Effect Of A Music Intervention On Healthy Older Adults, Shannon L. Bowles

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

Music is a powerful modality that can bring about changes in individuals of all ages. This research employed both an experimental and quasi-experimental design to identify the effects of music as it influenced psychological well-being, memory, and cognition among older adults. Specifically, it addressed three aims: (a) To determine to what extent learning to play a music instrument later in life influenced psychological well-being and cognitive function of non-institutionalized healthy seniors, (b) To determine the effects of the amount of music involvement on psychological well-being and cognitive function (c) To determine the benefit of music for those with limited/no music …


The Influence Of Gender And Aging On The Neural Circuitry Supporing Facial Emotion Processing In Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, Emily Briceno Jan 2013

The Influence Of Gender And Aging On The Neural Circuitry Supporing Facial Emotion Processing In Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, Emily Briceno

Wayne State University Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is associated with decrements in facial emotion processing (FEP). Previous studies investigating the neural substrates of these decrements have often reported hyperactivity of emotion processing circuitry. Neural circuitry supporting FEP has been shown to be different between healthy men and women, and between young and elder adults. However, no prior studies have investigated how gender and aging affect emotion processing circuitry in individuals with MDD. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of gender and aging on emotion processing circuitry in MDD. One hundred-ten adults, grouped into subgroups according to MDD status, gender, and age …