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Cognitive and Neural Correlates of the Picture Superiority Effect in Alzheimer's.

Award Number: R01AG038471
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2011
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2016

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Cognitive and Neural Correlates of the Picture Superiority Effect in Alzheimer's. - DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pictures improve memory over words, and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) show a much greater improvement than healthy older adults. This simple fact has tremendous implications for millions of patients with AD. If we were able to better understand exactly how pictures improve memory in these patients, new memory enhancing techniques could be developed to further increase their memory, improving quality of life and saving money for caregivers and the healthcare system. This proposal will use the techniques of experimental psychology (computer-based behavioral studies) and cognitive neuroscience (EEG-based event- related potential [ERP] studies) to examine the cognitive and neural processes that underlie the robust picture superiority effect in patients with AD. Aim 1 examines the hypothesis that intact perceptual processing of distinctive visual information enhances the encoding, storage, and retrieval of pictures in patients with AD. Expts 1 and 2 examine whether adding or subtracting perceptual detail at encoding increases or decreases the picture superiority effect. Expt 3 uses a perceptual masked identification task to determine whether patients can recognize unidentifiable test pictures based only on stored perceptual information. Expt 4 examines whether removing distinctive visual information from the retrieval cues eliminates the picture superiority effect. Aim 2 examines the hypothesis that intact conceptual processing enhances the encoding, storage, and retrieval of pictures in patients with AD. Expt 5 uses ERPs to determine whether picture stimuli allow for better encoding of conceptual information than ambiguous images with and without conceptual labels. Expt 6 uses a conceptual implicit memory test to determine whether the conceptual information stored for pictures is superior to the conceptual information stored for words. Expt 7 uses ERPs to examine whether patients demonstrate the picture superiority effect for a category-based retrieval task. Finally, Aim 3 examines the hypothesis that impaired encoding, storage, and retrieval of words contributes to the robust picture superiority effect in patients with AD. Expt 8 uses ERPs to examine differences in brain activity for successful encoding of pictures compared to successful encoding of visually and auditorily presented words. Expt 9 uses ERPs to examine whether limitations in the ability to generate an internal image representation of words at encoding contributes to the robust picture superiority effect in AD. Expt 10 examines whether forgetting rates of stored words and pictures are differentially affected by AD. Finally, Expt 11 examines whether words are less effective as retrieval cues compared to pictures. Successful completion of these aims and experiments will provide us with a detailed understanding of how pictures enhance memory in AD. This understanding could subsequently improve methods of clinical assessment, and serve as the basis of promising new learning techniques, such as errorless learning. These new techniques may help patients remember how and when to take their medications and perform activities of daily living, thereby improving their quality of life.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $61,472 )
2017	2015	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER	1161 21ST AVE S STE D3300 MCN	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	001	6	12/20/2016	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$0
2017	2015	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, THE	211 KIRKLAND HALL	NASHVILLE	TN	37240	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	000	5	12/20/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$61,472
														Subtotal = $61,472

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2016	2015	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER	1161 21ST AVE S STE D3300 MCN	NASHVILLE	TN	372320011	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	003	6	9/15/2016	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$0
2016	2015	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	000	5	6/17/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2016	2015	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER	1161 21ST AVE S STE D3300 MCN	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	002	6	7/28/2016	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$61,472
2016	2015	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	001	5	7/28/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$61,472
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $310,206 )
2015	2015	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	000	5	3/31/2015	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$310,206
														Subtotal = $310,206

Issue Date FY: 2014 ( Subtotal = $319,800 )
2014	2014	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	000	4	2/25/2014	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$319,800
														Subtotal = $319,800

Issue Date FY: 2013 ( Subtotal = $302,211 )
2013	2013	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	000	3	3/29/2013	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$287,820
2013	2013	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	001	3	5/23/2013	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$14,391
														Subtotal = $302,211

Issue Date FY: 2012 ( Subtotal = $319,800 )
2012	2012	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	000	2	2/16/2012	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$319,800
														Subtotal = $319,800

Issue Date FY: 2011 ( Subtotal = $318,945 )
2011	2011	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CHILDREN'S REHAB UNIT	1161 21ST AVENUE SOUTH	NASHVILLE	TN	37232	DAVIDSON	USA	Aging Research	000	1	2/28/2011	NEW	$318,945
														Subtotal = $318,945

Grand Total All Awards = $1,632,434

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Cognitive and Neural Correlates of the Picture Superiority Effect in Alzheimer's.

Award Number: R01AG038471

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2011

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2016

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