title: A Brain-Wide Study of Age-Related Changes in Functional Connectivity.
abstract: Aging affects functional connectivity between brain areas, however, a complete picture of how aging affects integration of information within and between functional networks is missing. We used complex network measures, derived from a brain-wide graph, to provide a comprehensive overview of age-related changes in functional connectivity. Functional connectivity in young and older participants was assessed during resting-state fMRI. The results show that aging has a large impact, not only on connectivity within functional networks but also on connectivity between the different functional networks in the brain. Brain networks in the elderly showed decreased modularity (less distinct functional networks) and decreased local efficiency. Connectivity decreased with age within networks supporting higher level cognitive functions, that is, within the default mode, cingulo-opercular and fronto-parietal control networks. Conversely, no changes in connectivity within the somatomotor and visual networks, networks implicated in primary information processing, were observed. Connectivity between these networks even increased with age. A brain-wide analysis approach of functional connectivity in the aging brain thus seems fundamental in understanding how age affects integration of information.
authors: Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Neuroimaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Current address: MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge CB2 7EF, UK.
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Geerligs
authors: Neuroimaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Remco J
authors: RJ
authors: Renken
authors: Neuroimaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Emi
authors: E
authors: Saliasi
authors: Neuroimaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Natasha M
authors: NM
authors: Maurits
authors: Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Neuroimaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Monicque M
authors: MM
authors: Lorist
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D012146:Rest; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: aging; dedifferentiation; fMRI; functional connectivity; graph theory