Remembering past challenges to feel better today: Role of neural dedifferentiation and autobiographical integration in late-life reappraisal

ABSTRACT

Socioemotional theories suggest that surviving a lifetime of life experiences enhances older adult emotional resilience, yet the role of past emotional challenges in current models of emotion regulation is overlooked. In this paper, we propose how integration of memories and hippocampal dedifferentiation may together benefit the reappraisal of novel stressors across the lifespan. First, we review mood benefits of generating positive narratives, and more integrated memories of adverse life events with age. Second, we review neural mechanisms of narrative integration and meaning-making. We propose a framework in which narrative integration and neural dedifferentiation of hippocampal memory representations may facilitate late-life reappraisal via shared positive meaning-making in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). While current evidence supporting this model is limited, we conclude by discussing future directions for testing its components in multivariate neuroimaging studies, and briefly review clinical implications of the proposed model.

Keywords:

• Dedifferentiation
• emotion regulation
• reappraisal
• MVPA
• autobiographical memory
• integration
• aging

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by an internal start-up grant from the University of Massachusetts Amherst awarded to BMK. This work was also supported by a National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellowship from the (grant number: F31 AG 069409-01) National Institute on Aging awarded to IO.