Mnemonic but not contextual feedback signals defy dedifferentiation in the aging early visual cortex

Perception is an intricate interplay between feedforward visual input and internally generated feedback signals that comprise concurrent contextual and time-distant mnemonic (episodic and semantic) information. Yet, an unresolved question is how the composition of feedback signals changes across the lifespan and to what extent feedback signals undergo age-related dedifferentiation, i.e., a decline in neural specificity. Previous research on this topic has focused on feedforward perceptual representation and episodic memory reinstatement, suggesting reduced fidelity of neural representations at the item and category levels. In this fMRI study, we combined an occlusion paradigm that filters feedforward input to the visual cortex and multivariate analysis techniques to investigate the information content in cortical feedback, focusing on age-related differences in its composition. We further asked to what extent differentiation in feedback signals (in the occluded region) is correlated to differentiation in feedforward signals. Comparing younger (18 - 30 years) and older female and male adults (65 -75 years), we found that contextual but not mnemonic feedback was prone to age-related dedifferentiation. Semantic feedback signals were even better differentiated in older adults, highlighting the growing importance of generalized knowledge across age. We also found that differentiation in feedforward signals was correlated with differentiation in episodic but not semantic feedback signals. Our results provide evidence for age-related adjustments in the composition of feedback signals and underscore the importance of examining dedifferentiation in aging for both feedforward and feedback processing.Significance StatementCognitive decline in aging is related to reduced neural specificity (dedifferentiation) in the brain, which has mainly been examined in feedforward processing. Using an occlusion paradigm, we tested whether there is dedifferentiation in contextual and mnemonic feedback signals internally generated in the early visual cortex to aid perception. Older adults’ contextual but not mnemonic feedback signals suffered from dedifferentiation, with semantic mnemonic representations being even better differentiated in older age. Neural differentiation between feedforward and episodic feedback signals was positively correlated in both age groups. In sum, these results highlight the growing importance of semantic knowledge across the lifespan and imply that the impact of dedifferentiation on cognition highly depends on the nature of the recruited information.