Existing semantic knowledge provides a schematic scaffold for inference in early cognitive decline, but not in amnestic MCI.

摘要: Healthy older adults show impaired relational learning, but improved transitive expression when inferences are made across pre-experimentally known premise relations. Here, we used the transitivity paradigm to ask whether organizational structure within schemas facilitates bridging of relations for novel inference otherwise healthy who exhibiting early signs cognitive decline ("at-risk" adults), and individuals with single- or multiple-domain amnestic mild impairment (aMCI). Relational learning was in two adult groups, facilitated by prior semantic knowledge Prior did not improve aMCI individuals. Schematic scaffolding can successfully support preclinical decline, such may no longer be useful later disease process dysfunction neural circuitry too severe. The findings encourage future work larger samples cases.