title: Resting-state networks associated with cognitive processing show more age-related decline than those associated with emotional processing.
abstract: Correlations in activity across disparate brain regions during rest reveal functional networks in the brain. Although previous studies largely agree that there is an age-related decline in the "default mode network," how age affects other resting-state networks, such as emotion-related networks, is still controversial. Here we used a dual-regression approach to investigate age-related alterations in resting-state networks. The results revealed age-related disruptions in functional connectivity in all 5 identified cognitive networks, namely the default mode network, cognitive-auditory, cognitive-speech (or speech-related somatosensory), and right and left frontoparietal networks, whereas such age effects were not observed in the 3 identified emotion networks. In addition, we observed age-related decline in functional connectivity in 3 visual and 3 motor/visuospatial networks. Older adults showed greater functional connectivity in regions outside 4 out of the 5 identified cognitive networks, consistent with the dedifferentiation effect previously observed in task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Both reduced within-network connectivity and increased out-of-network connectivity were correlated with poor cognitive performance, providing potential biomarkers for cognitive aging.
authors.affiliation: Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: nashiro@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nashiro
authors.affiliation: University of Reading, Reading, UK.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakaki
authors.affiliation: Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Meredith N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Braskie
authors.affiliation: Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mather
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D000066492:Cognitive Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aging; Dedifferentiation; Emotion; Functional connectivity; Resting-state network; fMRI