title: Age-Related Differences in the Modulation of Small-World Brain Networks during a Go/NoGo Task.
abstract: Although inter-regional phase synchrony of neural oscillations has been proposed as a plausible mechanism for response control, little is known about the possible effects due to normal aging. We recorded multi-channel electroencephalography (EEG) from healthy younger and older adults in a Go/NoGo task, and examined the aging effects on synchronous brain networks with graph theoretical analysis. We found that in both age groups, brain networks in theta, alpha or beta band for either response execution (Go) or response inhibition (NoGo) condition showed prominent small-world property. Furthermore, small-world property of brain networks showed significant differences between different task conditions. Further analyses of node degree suggested that frontal-central theta band phase synchrony was enhanced during response inhibition, whereas during response execution, increased phase synchrony was observed in beta band over central-parietal regions. More interestingly, these task-related modulations on brain networks were well preserved and even more robust in older adults compared with younger adults. Taken together, our findings not only suggest that response control involves synchronous brain networks in functionally-distinct frequency bands, but also indicate an increase in the recruitment of brain network resources due to normal aging.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiangfei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Yuelu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shanbao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tong
keywords: aging; graph theory; induced activity; phase synchrony; response inhibition