Maisy Williams
Research Mentor: Eleanna Varangis
Mentor Department: Movement Science, Kinesiology
Author(s): Maisy Williams, Michaela Broadnax, Eleanna Varangis
Session: Session 5 (2:00 PM – 2:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 140
Abstract
Face-name associative memory tasks are widely used in functional MRI research to investigate age-related changes in episodic memory and brain function. Face-name association is an essential episodic memory process used in everyday life across the lifespan, making it a meaningful way to study real-world episodic memory processes. The formation of face-name associations relies on hippocampal and frontal brain networks, making the process sensitive to age-related differences in memory and neural activation. A literature review was conducted using PubMed to identify peer-reviewed studies utilizing face-name memory tasks in both younger and older adult populations. Studies were included if they used face-name tasks and functional MRI data to study episodic memory and compare neural activation or memory performance between age groups. Across studies, older adults showed altered neural activation during face-name memory tasks, with greater activity in prefrontal regions compared to younger adults. Differences in activation between age groups were more pronounced during memory retrieval than during encoding. Overall, aging was associated with a shift in neural activation from posterior and hippocampal activity toward increased frontal and parietal activity. These findings establish cognitive aging research as a useful framework for understanding memory changes that may also occur following mild traumatic brain injury. Face-name fMRI tasks may serve as useful tools for assessing long-term brain health and informing future research on neural mechanisms underlying episodic memory impairments in both aging and traumatic brain injury populations.
