title: White matter integrity supports BOLD signal variability and cognitive performance in the aging human brain.
abstract: Decline in cognitive performance in old age is linked to both suboptimal neural processing in grey matter (GM) and reduced integrity of white matter (WM), but the whole-brain structure-function-cognition associations remain poorly understood. Here we apply a novel measure of GM processing-moment-to-moment variability in the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal (SDBOLD)-to study the associations between GM function during resting state, performance on four main cognitive domains (i.e., fluid intelligence, perceptual speed, episodic memory, vocabulary), and WM microstructural integrity in 91 healthy older adults (aged 60-80 years). We modeled the relations between whole-GM SDBOLD with cognitive performance using multivariate partial least squares analysis. We found that greater SDBOLD was associated with better fluid abilities and memory. Most of regions showing behaviorally relevant SDBOLD (e.g., precuneus and insula) were localized to inter- or intra-network "hubs" that connect and integrate segregated functional domains in the brain. Our results suggest that optimal dynamic range of neural processing in hub regions may support cognitive operations that specifically rely on the most flexible neural processing and complex cross-talk between different brain networks. Finally, we demonstrated that older adults with greater WM integrity in all major WM tracts had also greater SDBOLD and better performance on tests of memory and fluid abilities. We conclude that SDBOLD is a promising functional neural correlate of individual differences in cognition in healthy older adults and is supported by overall WM integrity.
authors: The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, United States of America.
authors: Agnieszka Z
authors: AZ
authors: Burzynska
authors: The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, United States of America.
authors: Chelsea N
authors: CN
authors: Wong
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, E11 Seashore Hall, Iowa City, IA, 52242-1407, United States of America.
authors: Michelle W
authors: MW
authors: Voss
authors: The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, United States of America.
authors: Gillian E
authors: GE
authors: Cooke
authors: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, 906 S. Goodwin Ave. Urbana, IL, 61801, United States of America.
authors: Edward
authors: E
authors: McAuley
authors: The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, United States of America.
authors: Arthur F
authors: AF
authors: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D066127:White Matter / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen