Supporting performance in the face of age-related neural changes: testing mechanistic roles of cognitive reserve
Open accessAbstract
Age impacts multiple neural measures and these changes do not always directly translate into alterations in clinical and cognitive measures. This partial protection from the deleterious effects of age in some individuals is referred to as cognitive reserve (CR) and although linked to variations in intelligence and life experiences, its mechanism is still unclear. Within the framework of a theoretical model we tested two potential mechanistic roles of CR to maintain task performance, neural reserve and neural compensation, in young and older adults using functional and structural MRI. Neural reserve refers to increased efficiency and/or capacity of existing functional neural resources. Neural compensation refers to the increased ability to recruit new, additional functional resources. Using structural and functional measures and task performance, the roles of CR were tested using path analysis. Results supported both mechanistic theories of CR and the use of our general theoretical model.
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Higher cognitive reserve, as measured by IQ, could tolerate more atrophy in the first network and still preserve that network's performance without resorting to the second network.
“First, individuals with higher CR could tolerate more atrophy in the first network and still preserve that network’s performance without having to resort to using the second network.”
From Cognitive reserve in ageing and Alzheimer's disease (2012) · cites this paper as [42]
Compared to individuals with lower cognitive reserve, those with higher cognitive reserve performed better even when they use the second network.
“Second, compared to individuals with lower CR, those with higher CR performed better even when they use the second network.”
From Cognitive reserve in ageing and Alzheimer's disease (2012) · cites this paper as [42]
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References 43 · Cited by 113
- Authors
- Steffener, J., Reuben, A., Rakitin, B. C., & Stern, Y.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Steffener, Jason
- Venue
- Brain Imaging and Behavior
- Published
- 2011-05-24
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 212-221
- ISSN
- 1931-7557 (ISSN-L)
- 1931-7565
- PMC
- PMC3169844
- OpenAlex
- W2159015528
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 4.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Brain Imaging and Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Columbia Academic Commons (Columbia University)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (R01AG026158, K01AG035061, 5R01AG026158-5)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Keywords
- cognitive reserve, neural reserve, neural compensation, aging, older adults, task performance, neural efficiency, neural recruitment
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aging, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Nerve Net, Oxygen, Psychomotor Performance, Recognition, Psychology, Young Adult, Cognitive Reserve
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