title: Functional and structural aging of the speech sensorimotor neural system: functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence.
abstract: The ability to perceive and produce speech undergoes important changes in late adulthood. The goal of the present study was to characterize functional and structural age-related differences in the cortical network that support speech perception and production, using magnetic resonance imaging, as well as the relationship between functional and structural age-related changes occurring in this network. We asked young and older adults to observe videos of a speaker producing single words (perception), and to observe and repeat the words produced (production). Results show a widespread bilateral network of brain activation for Perception and Production that was not correlated with age. In addition, several regions did show age-related change (auditory cortex, planum temporale, superior temporal sulcus, premotor cortices, SMA-proper). Examination of the relationship between brain signal and regional and global gray matter volume and cortical thickness revealed a complex set of relationships between structure and function, with some regions showing a relationship between structure and function and some not. The present results provide novel findings about the neurobiology of aging and verbal communication.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Department of Rehabilitation, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada. pascale.tremblay@fmed.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Small
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult