The CRUNCH model does not account for load-dependent changes in visuospatial working memory in older adults

Numerous neuroimaging studies have shown that older adults tend to activate the brain to a greater extent than younger adults during the performance of a task. This is typically interpreted as evidence for cognitive compensation. The Compensation-Related Utilisation of Neural Circuits Hypothesis (CR...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNeuropsychologia Vol. 142; p. 107446
Main Author Jamadar, Sharna D.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2020
Subjects
Cognitive ageing
Compensation
CRUNCH model
Reproducibility
Systematic review
fMRI
Reproducibility
Compensation
Cognitive ageing
Systematic review
CRUNCH model
CRUNCH
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Summary:Numerous neuroimaging studies have shown that older adults tend to activate the brain to a greater extent than younger adults during the performance of a task. This is typically interpreted as evidence for cognitive compensation. The Compensation-Related Utilisation of Neural Circuits Hypothesis (CRUNCH) model is a highly influential model of compensation, and states that increased functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity in older adults compared to younger adults should reverse at higher levels of task difficulty. Here, the CRUNCH model was tested using a visuospatial working memory paradigm. fMRI activity in older vs. younger adults was in the opposite direction to that predicted by the model. Given that the CRUNCH model is the predominant model of compensation, this result was surprising. These results were followed up with a systematic review of the CRUNCH in healthy ageing literature. A surprisingly small number of published studies (4) have tested the predictions of the CRUNCH model. Further experimental work is required to validate the CRUNCH model in cognitive ageing. •Tested the compensation-related utilisation of neural circuits hypothesis (CRUNCH) in healthy ageing.•Older and younger adults showed opposite effect of visuospatial working memory load to that predicted by CRUNCH.•Systematic review suggests insufficient published evidence testing CRUNCH model predictions.•More experimental work with larger samples required to validate & test reproducibility of CRUNCH model.
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ISSN:0028-3932
1873-3514
1873-3514
DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107446