Possibility to use divergent tasks for baseline alpha rhythm modulation in older adults

• Published in: 2020 Cognitive Sciences, Genomics and Bioinformatics (CSGB) pp. 207 - 211
• Main Authors: Privodnova, Evgeniya, Volf, Nina, Merculova, Ekaterina, Bilik, Victoriya
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.07.2020
• Subjects: Area measurement; Bioinformatics; Brain modeling; divergent thinking; Genomics; older adults; Physiology; power increase; Task analysis; upper alpha; Visualization
• DOI: 10.1109/CSGB51356.2020.9214686

Findings reliably revealed that alpha power attenuates in aging whereas distractibility tends to increase. Given the causal link between alpha power and inhibition capacity in aged people, enhancement of baseline alpha power may have positive effect on cognition. Based on robust evidence of alpha power enhancement during divergent thinking, we suggested that divergent tasks might be candidate cognitive activity for modulation of resting state alpha rhythm. We investigated the changes in baseline upper alpha rhythm that followed visual and verbal divergent thinking training session in 30 older adults (64.2±6 years). 52-channel EEG was registered prior to, during and after session. Upper alpha power was calculated via Fourier transform; current source density (CSD) and statistical nonparametric mapping were performed using LORETA. Analysis of both power and CSD revealed alpha increases from pre-training to post-training interval, with maximum difference in Superior Parietal lobule (region of interest, ROI). CSD estimates during verbal task did not differ from pre-training alpha activity. CSD during visual task performance was higher than at pre-training interval and than during verbal task performance. The spatial pattern of alpha CSD increase during visual task performance matched spatial pattern of CSD increase in post-training activity. Moreover, measures of ROI in visual task performance positively correlated with measures of ROI in post-training interval. The findings are in favor for notion, that divergent thinking session may be viewed as a kind of cognitive activity resulted in alpha power increase in older adults. Visual divergent task performance made crucial impact in this post-training alpha rhythm modulation.