# CRCNS: Age-related changes to cortical dynamics underlying working memory

> **NIH NIH R01** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 2020 · $179,837

## Abstract

Normal aging in primates often leads to impaired cognitive function, particularly in working memory (WM),
which begins to decline in middle-age. Cognitive changes correlate with structural and functional changes to
neurons and white matter pathways in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain area that is a key player in WM.
However, we currently lack a mechanistic understanding of how the changes at the single-cell and pathway
level impact network function and thus WM performance. Moreover, the prefrontal cortex is only one node in
a distributed network of brain regions that contributes to WM, and aging also alters these other –particularly
fronto-parietal and visual– areas and long-range inter-areal connections. The central goal of this project is to
advance our understanding of the computational and neural mechanisms underlying WM as well as the age-
related changes to this executive function in the rhesus monkey model of normal aging. Specifically, we will
test the hypothesis that WM arises through coordinated interaction of visual and fronto-parietal brain regions,
and that aging-related decline in WM results from changes to both local circuit dynamics and inter-area
communication. Our interdisciplinary approach will combine psychophysical, anatomical and physiological
experiments with theory and computational modeling, taking advantage of the complementary expertise of
the collaborating laboratories. The proposed research has the following specific aims: Aim 1: Identify aging
effects on individual neurons, white matter pathways and resting state fMRI activity in fronto-parietal and
visual cortices. Aim 2: Develop a multi-area computational neural network model in which WM function
emerges from interacting distributed circuits. Aim 3: Model-based interpretation and experimental validation
of the neuronal mechanisms underlying age-related WM decline.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10153002
- **Project number:** 1R01AG071230-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** JENNIFER I LUEBKE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $179,837
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-11 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10153002

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10153002, CRCNS: Age-related changes to cortical dynamics underlying working memory (1R01AG071230-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10153002. Licensed CC0.

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