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effect of age on processing family, famous and novel faces: An fMRI study

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Date Issued:
2006
Summary:
Facial recognition memory is a specialized system in the human brain, with an effect of familiarity playing a role in the brain activations involved. Previous studies examining the familiar face processing system have used college-aged subjects. However, memory disorders, like those associated with Alzheimer's disease, typically affect adults over sixty. In an attempt to reveal possible differences between young and older adults', two different age groups were subjected to fMRI analysis while viewing face images with varying familiarity (family, famous and novel). The result showed a significant difference in activations for various cortical areas including the precuneus, cingulate cortex, and fusiform gyrus. Among the differences, an overall trend of greater activation in the left hemisphere for younger subjects compared to the older group was revealed. The results have implications for the study of memory disorders afflicting older adults, like Alzheimer's disease.
Title: The effect of age on processing family, famous and novel faces: An fMRI study.
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Name(s): Jones, Lana Casey
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Tuller, Betty, Thesis advisor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Psychology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2006
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, FL
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 68 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Facial recognition memory is a specialized system in the human brain, with an effect of familiarity playing a role in the brain activations involved. Previous studies examining the familiar face processing system have used college-aged subjects. However, memory disorders, like those associated with Alzheimer's disease, typically affect adults over sixty. In an attempt to reveal possible differences between young and older adults', two different age groups were subjected to fMRI analysis while viewing face images with varying familiarity (family, famous and novel). The result showed a significant difference in activations for various cortical areas including the precuneus, cingulate cortex, and fusiform gyrus. Among the differences, an overall trend of greater activation in the left hemisphere for younger subjects compared to the older group was revealed. The results have implications for the study of memory disorders afflicting older adults, like Alzheimer's disease.
Identifier: 9780542739224 (isbn), 13358 (digitool), FADT13358 (IID), fau:10208 (fedora)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2006.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Brain--Magnetic resonance imaging
Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology)
Memory
Cognition--Age factors
Aging--Psychological aspects
Memory disorders in old age
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13358
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.