Specific impairments in visuospatial working and short-term memory following low-dose scopolamine challenge in healthy older adults. Export

@article{citeulike:2877099, abstract = {Scopolamine-induced deficits in cognitive and motor processes have been widely demonstrated in animals and humans, although the role of acetylcholine in working memory is not as well understood. This study examined the role of acetylcholine neurotransmission in visuospatial short term and working memory using the Groton Maze Learning Test (GMLT). The GMLT is a computerized hidden maze learning test that yields measures of component cognitive processes such as spatial memory, working memory, and visuomotor function, as well as their integration in trial-and-error problem solving. Healthy older adults were administered scopolamine (0.3mg subcutaneous), the acetlycholinesterase inhibitor donepezil (5mg oral), scopolamine with donepezil, or placebo. Compared to placebo, low-dose scopolamine led to performance deficits on all measures of the GMLT. The greatest scopolamine-induced deficits were observed in errors reflecting working memory processes (e.g., perseverative errors d=-2.98, and rule-break errors d=-2.49) and these impairments remained robust when statistical models accounted for scopolamine-related slowing in visuomotor speed. Co-administration of donepezil partially ameliorated scopolamine-related impairments and this effect was greatest for measures of working memory than short-term memory. By itself, donepezil was associated with a small improvement in visuomotor function. These results suggest that scopolamine disrupts processes required for rule maintenance and performance monitoring, in combination with visuomotor slowing and sequential location learning.}, address = {Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Australia.}, author = {Thomas, Elizabeth and Snyder, Peter J J. and Pietrzak, Robert H H. and Jackson, Colleen E E. and Bednar, Martin and Maruff, Paul}, citeulike-article-id = {2877099}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2008.04.010}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18514746}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://www.hubmed.org/display.cgi?uids=18514746}, day = {22}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2008.04.010}, issn = {0028-3932}, journal = {Neuropsychologia}, keywords = {acetylcholine, donepezil, memory, scopolamine}, month = {April}, posted-at = {2008-06-09 16:08:35}, priority = {3}, title = {Specific impairments in visuospatial working and short-term memory following low-dose scopolamine challenge in healthy older adults.}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2008.04.010}, year = {2008} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2877099 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2877099 N2 - Scopolamine-induced deficits in cognitive and motor processes have been widely demonstrated in animals and humans, although the role of acetylcholine in working memory is not as well understood. This study examined the role of acetylcholine neurotransmission in visuospatial short term and working memory using the Groton Maze Learning Test (GMLT). The GMLT is a computerized hidden maze learning test that yields measures of component cognitive processes such as spatial memory, working memory, and visuomotor function, as well as their integration in trial-and-error problem solving. Healthy older adults were administered scopolamine (0.3mg subcutaneous), the acetlycholinesterase inhibitor donepezil (5mg oral), scopolamine with donepezil, or placebo. Compared to placebo, low-dose scopolamine led to performance deficits on all measures of the GMLT. The greatest scopolamine-induced deficits were observed in errors reflecting working memory processes (e.g., perseverative errors d=-2.98, and rule-break errors d=-2.49) and these impairments remained robust when statistical models accounted for scopolamine-related slowing in visuomotor speed. Co-administration of donepezil partially ameliorated scopolamine-related impairments and this effect was greatest for measures of working memory than short-term memory. By itself, donepezil was associated with a small improvement in visuomotor function. These results suggest that scopolamine disrupts processes required for rule maintenance and performance monitoring, in combination with visuomotor slowing and sequential location learning. JF - Neuropsychologia SN - 0028-3932 AD - Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Australia. TI - Specific impairments in visuospatial working and short-term memory following low-dose scopolamine challenge in healthy older adults. KW - acetylcholine KW - donepezil KW - memory KW - scopolamine AU - Thomas, Elizabeth AU - Snyder, Peter J AU - Pietrzak, Robert H AU - Jackson, Colleen E AU - Bednar, Martin AU - Maruff, Paul PY - 2008/04/22/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2008.04.010 ER -