Deficits in auditory function and cognition are hallmarks of normative aging. Recent evidence suggests that hearing-impaired individuals have greater risks of developing cognitive impairment and dementia compared to people with intact auditory function, although the neurobiological bases underlying these associations are poorly understood. Here, a colony of aging macaques completed a battery of behavioral tests designed to probe frontal and temporal lobe-dependent cognition. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and visual evoked potentials were measured to assess auditory and visual system function. Structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging were then performed to evaluate the microstructural condition of multiple white matter tracts associated with cognition. Animals showing higher cognitive function had significantly better auditory processing capacities, and these associations were selectively observed with tasks that primarily depend on temporal lobe brain structures. Tractography analyses revealed that the fractional anisotropy (FA) of the fimbria-fornix and hippocampal commissure were associated with temporal lobe-dependent visual discrimination performance and auditory sensory function. Conversely, FA of frontal cortex-associated white matter was not associated with auditory processing. Visual sensory function was not associated with frontal or temporal lobe FA, nor with behavior. This study demonstrates significant and selective relationships between ABRs, white matter connectivity, and higher-order cognitive ability.

中文翻译：

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听觉处理缺陷与衰老猕猴的内侧颞叶记忆功能和白质完整性有选择地相关。

听觉功能和认知缺陷是正常衰老的标志。最近的证据表明，与听觉功能完好的人相比，听力受损的人患认知障碍和痴呆症的风险更大，尽管对这些关联背后的神经生物学基础知之甚少。在这里，一群衰老的猕猴完成了一系列行为测试，旨在探索依赖额叶和颞叶的认知。测量听觉脑干反应 (ABR) 和视觉诱发电位以评估听觉和视觉系统功能。然后进行结构和扩散磁共振成像以评估与认知相关的多个白质束的微观结构状况。表现出较高认知功能的动物具有明显更好的听觉处理能力，并且这些关联在主要取决于颞叶大脑结构的任务中被选择性地观察到。Tractography 分析显示，穹窿和海马连合处的各向异性分数 (FA) 与依赖颞叶的视觉辨别性能和听觉感觉功能相关。相反，额叶皮层相关白质的 FA 与听觉处理无关。视觉感觉功能与额叶或颞叶 FA 无关，也与行为无关。这项研究证明了 ABR、白质连通性和高阶认知能力之间的显着和选择性关系。并且在主要依赖颞叶大脑结构的任务中选择性地观察到这些关联。Tractography 分析显示，穹窿和海马连合处的各向异性分数 (FA) 与依赖颞叶的视觉辨别性能和听觉感觉功能相关。相反，额叶皮层相关白质的 FA 与听觉处理无关。视觉感觉功能与额叶或颞叶 FA 无关，也与行为无关。这项研究证明了 ABR、白质连通性和高阶认知能力之间的显着和选择性关系。并且在主要依赖颞叶大脑结构的任务中选择性地观察到这些关联。Tractography 分析显示，穹窿和海马连合处的各向异性分数 (FA) 与依赖颞叶的视觉辨别性能和听觉感觉功能相关。相反，额叶皮层相关白质的 FA 与听觉处理无关。视觉感觉功能与额叶或颞叶 FA 无关，也与行为无关。这项研究证明了 ABR、白质连通性和高阶认知能力之间的显着和选择性关系。Tractography 分析显示，穹窿和海马连合处的各向异性分数 (FA) 与依赖颞叶的视觉辨别性能和听觉感觉功能相关。相反，额叶皮层相关白质的 FA 与听觉处理无关。视觉感觉功能与额叶或颞叶 FA 无关，也与行为无关。这项研究证明了 ABR、白质连通性和高阶认知能力之间的显着和选择性关系。Tractography 分析显示，穹窿和海马连合处的各向异性分数 (FA) 与依赖颞叶的视觉辨别性能和听觉感觉功能相关。相反，额叶皮层相关白质的 FA 与听觉处理无关。视觉感觉功能与额叶或颞叶 FA 无关，也与行为无关。这项研究证明了 ABR、白质连通性和高阶认知能力之间的显着和选择性关系。也不与行为。这项研究证明了 ABR、白质连通性和高阶认知能力之间的显着和选择性关系。也不与行为。这项研究证明了 ABR、白质连通性和高阶认知能力之间的显着和选择性关系。