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Welcome to the web page of the Cognitive Psychology Laboratory. We are located in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, in the Duke University Medical Center. The research in this laboratory focuses on the changes in perception, attention, and memory associated with human aging. The work is concerned primarily with the age-related changes that occur in the absence of significant health problems. But we are also interested in the changes in cognitive functioning that occur as the result of various diseases and changes in health status. In particular, we have focused on issues related to attention in visual search tasks—how observers are able to use the features of a visual display and their knowledge of task goals to find a specified target item. We also conduct neuroimaging studies to identify the changes in brain structure and function that occur during normal aging.
Visitors will find links to navigate the site in the Navigation Bar seen above this text. A collection of quicklinks to related sites can also be found at the bottom of the webpage.
This is where we'll announce the most recent additions to our website. If you have visited us before and want to know what has changed, take a look here first.
Duke News Releases
- Younger and Older Adults Process Visual Information Differently
- High Blood Pressure Does Not Accelerate Age-Related Cognitive Decline
Conference Presentations
- August, 2007
Madden, D. J., Costello, M. C., White, L. E., Provenzale, J. M., Cabeza, R., & Huettel, S. A. (2007, August). Cerebral white matter fiber tracking: Adult age and attention. Presented at the 115th annual convention of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco. [pdf]
- May, 2007
Costello, M. C., Madden, D. J. Dawes, L. C. White, L. E. Cabeza, R., Provenzale, J. M., & Huettel, S. A. (2007, May). Age-Related Changes in Cerebral White Matter Integrity: Fiber Tracking from DTI. Presented at the 14th annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, New York City. [pdf]
- April, 2006
Marks, B. L., Madden, D. J., Bucur, B., Provenzale, J. M., White, L. E., Cabeza, R., & Huettel, S. A. (2006, April). Role of aerobic fitness and aging on cerebral white matter integrity. Presented at Imaging and the Aging Brain, conference sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences and American Federation for Aging Research, New York City. [pdf]
Bucur, B., Madden, D. J., Spaniol, J., Provenzale, J. M., White, L. E., Cabeza, R., Allen, P. A., & Huettel., S. A. (2006, April). White matter integrity as a mediator between age and memory retrieval: Implications for disconnection theories of cognitive aging. Presented at the 11th Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, and at the 13th annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco. [pdf]
- April, 2005
Posters presented at the twelfth annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, New York City, NY, April 10-12, 2005:
- Adult Age Differences and Similarities in the Functional Neuroanatomy of Visual Attention: Evidence From fMRI [pdf]
- Age-Related Decreases in Cerebral White Matter Integrity: Implications for Episodic and Semantic Retrieval Processes [pdf]
- April, 2004
Posters presented at the tenth Cognitive Aging Conference, April 1-4, in Atlanta, GA, and at the eleventh annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, April 18-20, in San Francisco, CA:
- Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Cerebral White Matter: Implications for Age-related Changes in Visual Attention [pdf]
- Aging and Retrieval in Episodic and Semantic Memory Tasks [pdf]
Edited Journal Volume
- Special Issue of Microscopy Research and Technique, on Neuroimaging of Memory, edited by David J. Madden (October, 2000)
Book Chapters
Madden, D. J., Whiting, W. L., & Huettel, S. A. (2005). Age-related changes in neural activity during visual perception and attention. In R. Cabeza, L. Nyberg, & D. C. Park (Eds.), Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging: Linking Cognitive and Cerebral Aging (pp. 155-183). New York: Oxford University Press.
Madden, D. J., & Whiting, W. L. (2004). Age-related changes in visual attention. In P. T. Costa & I. C. Siegler (Eds.), Recent Advances in Psychology and Aging (pp. 41-88). Amsterdam: Elsevier. [amazon.com]
Kramer, A. F., & Madden, D. J. (2008). Attention. In: F. I. M. Craik & T. A. Salthouse (Eds.), The handbook of aging and cognition (3rd ed., pp. 189-249). New York: Psychology Press. [amazon.com]
Journal Articles
Bucur, B., Madden, D. J. Spaniol, J., Provenzale, J., Cabeza, R., White, L. E., & Huettel, S. A. (in press). Age-related slowing of memory retrieval: Contributions of perceptual speed and cerebral white matter integrity. Neurobiology of Aging. [pdf]
Madden, D. J., Spaniol, J., Whiting, W. L., Bucur, B., Provenzale, J. M., Cabeza, R., White, L. E., & Huettel, S. A. (2007). Adult age differences in the functional neuroanatomy of visual attention: A combined fMRI and DTI study. Neurobiology of Aging, 28(3), 459-476 [pdf]
Whiting, W. L., Madden, D. J., & Babcock, K. (2007). Overriding age differences in attentional capture with top-down processing. Psychology and Aging, 22(2), 223-232. [pdf]
Madden, D. J., Spaniol, J., Bucur, B., & Whiting, W. L. (2007). Age-related increase in top-down activation of visual features. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 60(5), 682–696. [pdf]
Madden, D. J. (2007). Aging and visual attention. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(2) 70-74 [pdf]
Bucur, B., Madden, D. J., & Allen, P. A. (2005). Age-related differences in the processing of redundant visual dimensions. Psychology and Aging, 20, 435-446. [pdf]
Adult age differences in the functional neuroanatomy of visual attention: A combined fMRI and DTI study (Madden, et al., 2006) [pdf]
A Diffusion Model Analysis of Adult Age Differences in Episodic and Semantic Long-Term Memory Retrieval (Spaniol, Madden, et al., 2006) [pdf]
Searching from the top down: Ageing and attentional guidance during singleton detection (Whiting, Madden, et al., 2005) [pdf]
Age-Related Preservation of Top-Down Attentional Guidance During Visual Search (Madden, et al., 2004) [pdf]
Diffusion tensor imaging of adult age differences in cerebral white matter: relation to response time (Madden, et al., 2004) [pdf]
Age-related Changes in Neural Activity during Visual Target Detection Measured by fMRI (Madden, et al., 2004) [pdf]
Copyright Notice
Single copies of the articles posted here may be downloaded and printed for personal and academic (i.e., non-commercial) research only. Copyright is maintained by the authors and other copyright holders, and it is understood that anyone copying this information should adhere to the terms of these copyrights. These works may not be posted elsewhere without express written permission of the author(s) and copyright holder(s).
Some of the files above are PDF (Portable Document Format) files. These files will require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing. It is available as a free download through this link:
David J. Madden, Ph.D. is the director of the laboratory. He is currently Professor
of Medical Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, and a Senior Fellow in the
Aging Center, and Core Faculty at the Duke Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC).
Susanne M. Harris is the Project Coordinator.
Annie Shepler is the Data Technician and is in the BIAC Postbaccalaureate Fellowship Program.
Matthew Costello, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral fellow in the Aging Center research training program.
Debra Henninger, Ph.D.is a postdoctoral fellow for the Aging Center in combination with the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (mentor: Scott Huettel, Ph.D.).
Shawn Jordan is a student assistant in the lab. He is currently a Junior undergraduate at
Duke majoring in Biology and Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience.
Lab Alumni
Wythe Whiting is assistant professor at the Department of Psychology, Washington and Lee University.
Julia Spaniol is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada.
Sara Moore is currently a data analyst and computer programmer at the
Computation and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at Emory University School
of Medicine.
Barbara Bucur, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the University of Missouri -
St. Louis.
Current Studies
Study: Cognitive/Memory Study
Compensation: 2.0 course credits or $20.00
Approximate Time to Complete: 2 hours
Description and Qualifications: In this study, you will complete a series of short computerized tests in which you are
asked to memorize a series of words and letter strings. Students must be at least 18 years old. Students with a history
of neurological or psychological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, anxiety disorder, mood disorder) should not participate in this
study. English as a first language is preferred. Subjects ages 18-29 or age 60 and older are needed.
Study: Distract
Compensation: 1.5 course credits or $15.00
Approximate Time to Complete: 90 minutes
Description and Qualifications: In this study, you well be viewing a series of images (circles and squares) on a
computer screen and, based on what you see, making a decision by pressing one of two keys on a response box.
Students must be at least 18 years old. Students with a history of neurological or psychological disorders (e.g. epilepsy,
anxiety disorder, mood disorder) should not participate in this study. English as a first language is preferred. Subjects
ages 18-29 or age 60 and older are needed.
Study: Rare Search
Compensation: 1.5 course credits or $15.00
Approximate Time to Complete: 90 minutes
Description and Qualifications: In this study, you well be viewing a series of images (tools) on a computer screen and,
based on what you see, making a decision by pressing one of two keys on a response box. Students must be at least 18
years old. Students with a history of neurological or psychological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, anxiety disorder, mood
disorder) should not participate in this study. English as a first language is preferred. Subjects ages 18-29 or age 60 and
older are needed.
Additional testing times are available by calling 919.660.7537 to schedule alternate appointment dates.
Participant Registry
Since we have several ongoing projects, we are always interested in finding new study participants. If
you life in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area and would like to be a member of our participant
registry, click the link below to submit your contact information. Please feel free to contact us for more
information.
Send contact information to enter the Participant Registry
Image Gallery
These fibers were created using Fiber Viewer where the color coding corresponds to the fractional anisotropy (FA) values, which indicate white matter integrity. Lower FA values (lower white matter integrity) are shown in blue while higher FA values (greater white matter integrity) are shown in red.
Telephone: 919.660.7537
Fax: 919.684.8569
Mail:
Dr. David J. MaddenBox 2980
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710
USA
Email:
Dr. Madden: djm[AT]geri[DOT]duke[DOT]edu
General Information: cog[AT]geri[DOT]duke[DOT]edu