title: Aging Effects on Whole-Brain Functional Connectivity in Adults Free of Cognitive and Psychiatric Disorders.
abstract: Aging is associated with decreased resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) within the default mode network (DMN), but most functional imaging studies have restricted the analysis to specific brain regions or networks, a strategy not appropriate to describe system-wide changes. Moreover, few investigations have employed operational psychiatric interviewing procedures to select participants; this is an important limitation since mental disorders are prevalent and underdiagnosed and can be associated with RSFC abnormalities. In this study, resting-state fMRI was acquired from 59 adults free of cognitive and psychiatric disorders according to standardized criteria and based on extensive neuropsychological and clinical assessments. We tested for associations between age and whole-brain RSFC using Partial Least Squares, a multivariate technique. We found that normal aging is not only characterized by decreased RSFC within the DMN but also by ubiquitous increases in internetwork positive correlations and focal internetwork losses of anticorrelations (involving mainly connections between the DMN and the attentional networks). Our results reinforce the notion that the aging brain undergoes a dedifferentiation processes with loss of functional diversity. These findings advance the characterization of healthy aging effects on RSFC and highlight the importance of adopting a broad, system-wide perspective to analyze brain connectivity.
authors: Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences.
authors: Luiz Kobuti
authors: LK
authors: Ferreira
authors: Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences.
authors: Ana Carolina Brocanello
authors: AC
authors: Regina
authors: Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest.
authors: Natasa
authors: N
authors: Kovacevic
authors: NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences NIF-LIM-44, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine.
authors: Maria da Graça Morais
authors: Mda G
authors: Martin
authors: Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences.
authors: Pedro Paim
authors: PP
authors: Santos
authors: Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences Nuclear Medicine Division (LIM-43), Faculty of Medicine.
authors: Camila de Godoi
authors: Cde G
authors: Carneiro
authors: NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM-27), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Daniel Shikanai
authors: DS
authors: Kerr
authors: NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences NIF-LIM-44, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine.
authors: Edson
authors: E
authors: Amaro
authors: Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Anthony Randal
authors: AR
authors: McIntosh
authors: Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine NAPNA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences.
authors: Geraldo F
authors: GF
authors: Busatto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D063132:Connectome / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: brain; elderly; functional magnetic resonance imaging; normal aging; resting state