TY - JOUR
T1 - Aging brain from a network science perspective
T2 - Something to be positive about?
AU - Voss, Michelle W.
AU - Wong, Chelsea N.
AU - Baniqued, Pauline L.
AU - Burdette, Jonathan H.
AU - Erickson, Kirk I.
AU - Prakash, Ruchika Shaurya
AU - McAuley, Edward
AU - Laurienti, Paul J.
AU - Kramer, Arthur F.
PY - 2013/11/6
Y1 - 2013/11/6
N2 - To better understand age differences in brain function and behavior, the current study applied network science to model functional interactions between brain regions. We observed a shift in network topology whereby for older adults subcortical and cerebellar structures overlapping with the Salience network had more connectivity to the rest of the brain, coupled with fragmentation of large-scale cortical networks such as the Default and Fronto-Parietal networks. Additionally, greater integration of the dorsal medial thalamus and red nucleus in the Salience network was associated with greater satisfaction with life for older adults, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of age-related increases in emotion regulation that are thought to help maintain well-being and life satisfaction in late adulthood. In regard to cognitive abilities, greater ventral medial prefrontal cortex coherence with its topological neighbors in the Default Network was associated with faster processing speed. Results suggest that large-scale organizing properties of the brain differ with normal aging, and this perspective may offer novel insight into understanding age-related differences in cognitive function and well-being.
AB - To better understand age differences in brain function and behavior, the current study applied network science to model functional interactions between brain regions. We observed a shift in network topology whereby for older adults subcortical and cerebellar structures overlapping with the Salience network had more connectivity to the rest of the brain, coupled with fragmentation of large-scale cortical networks such as the Default and Fronto-Parietal networks. Additionally, greater integration of the dorsal medial thalamus and red nucleus in the Salience network was associated with greater satisfaction with life for older adults, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of age-related increases in emotion regulation that are thought to help maintain well-being and life satisfaction in late adulthood. In regard to cognitive abilities, greater ventral medial prefrontal cortex coherence with its topological neighbors in the Default Network was associated with faster processing speed. Results suggest that large-scale organizing properties of the brain differ with normal aging, and this perspective may offer novel insight into understanding age-related differences in cognitive function and well-being.
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U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0078345
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0078345
M3 - Article
C2 - 24223147
AN - SCOPUS:84892413725
VL - 8
JO - PLoS One
JF - PLoS One
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 11
M1 - e78345
ER -