DOI: 10.3886/icpsr38862.v1
title: Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 3): Neuroscience Project, 2017-2022
title: Version 1

description: From 2004-2009, an initial follow-up of the original Midlife Development in the United States samples (MIDUS 2) was conducted with expansion of the protocol to include Neuroscience Project data collection and a sample of Black Americans from Milwaukee, WI. The MIDUS Neuroscience Project performed a second follow-up from 2017-2022 of the MIDUS Main and Milwaukee samples (MIDUS 3) on a subsample of those who completed the MIDUS 3 Survey and Biomarker Projects. The goal was to examine indices of brain aging, function, and structure with a focus on the brain circuitry associated with individual differences in affective style, and to characterize the peripheral consequences of these central profiles for biological systems that may be relevant to health. The primary aims were to: (1) characterize individual differences in emotional reactivity, recovery, and sustaining processes using corrugator and zygomatic electromyography and eyeblink startle magnitude, (2) characterize individual differences in brain morphology and connectivity using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (3) characterize individual differences in functional activity within the neural circuitry of emotion using task and resting state fMRI, (4) calculate brain age, and (5) test the ability of these indices to predict the comprehensive array of health, wellbeing, cognitive, psychological, social, and life challenge factors assessed in other MIDUS projects. To probe individual differences in emotional processes, psychophysiological and fMRI measures of emotional responses to the presentation of negative, positive, and neutral pictures, and these same measures during a post-picture period were examined. Emotion-influenced memory was assessed at both the psychophysiological and imaging sessions: (1) Free recall of the presented affective pictures at the end of the psychophysiological session. (2) Memory and likeability ratings for neutral faces paired with the affective pictures in the imaging task. Finally, selected tasks from the CANTAB assessed affective biases and cognitive processes important for emotion regulation.
description: The goal of the Neuroscience Project was to examine indices of brain aging, function, and structure with a focus on the brain circuitry associated with individual differences in affective style, and to characterize the peripheral consequences of these central profiles for biological systems that may be relevant to health.
description: The measures included in this collection include the following: Self-reports: Participants were given various questionnaires including State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale, Cube and Paper Test, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and Interpersonal Reactivity Index. CANTAB Cognitive measures: The researchers used Motor Screening Test, Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift, Affective Go/No-go, Information Sampling Test, Attention Switching Task, Emotion Recognition Task, and Cambridge Gambling Task. Psychophysiology Tasks: These include Startle Eyeblink, Corrugator EMG, and Zygomaticus EMG. Free Recall: Participants were given up to 15 minutes to recall as many of the pictures seen during the psychophysiology task as possible by writing descriptions onto a blank sheet of paper. Picture Ratings: These include Valence (Unpleasant vs. Pleasant) and Arousal (Calm vs. Excited). Hearing Test: Tones of various frequencies (250, 500, 1000, 2000. 4000 Hz) were played for participants in one ear at a time. Participants indicated when they were able to hear a tone.
description: Presence of Common Scales: Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale (DPES) Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) Positive and Negative Schedule - General Form (PANASGEN) Positive and Negative Schedule - "Now" Form (PANASNOW) Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - General Form (STAI-X2) Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Now Form (STAI-X1) Additional information regarding scales can be found in the Documentation of Scales.
description: The second follow-up from 2017-2022 of the MIDUS Main and Milwaukee samples (MIDUS 3) comprises a subsample of those who completed the MIDUS 3 Survey and Biomarker Projects, n=231: Random Digit Dialing (RDD) = 74, Twin = 96, Milwaukee = 61.
description: Datasets: DS1: Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 3): Neuroscience Project, 2017-2022
description: Adult non-institutionalized population in the contiguous United States.
description: coded on-site observation; cognitive assessment test; self-enumerated questionnaireAll data files in the MIDUS study (both longitudinal and cross-sectional) can be linked using a key variable called M2ID.Access to the MIDUS 3 raw MRI data (structural, task functional, resting state functional, diffusion-weighted imaging, and resting perfusion) is subject to restricted conditions. Please see the MIDUS Neuroscience Repository for instructions on how to access.The DDI codebook (PDF file) released by ICPSR was provided by MIDUS and was not changed in any way by ICPSR. The original file does not reflect any of the processing done by ICPSR.Additional information about the Midlife Development in the United States study can be found at the MIDUS website.