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Assessing Human Spatial Navigation in a Virtual Space and its Sensitivity to Exercise
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Cortical thickness changes following spatial navigation training in adulthood and aging.

Elisabeth Wenger1, Sabine Schaefer, Hannes Noack

  • 1Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Germany. Wenger@mpib-berlin.mpg.de

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Spatial navigation training enhances brain structure in young adults, evidenced by cortical thickening. Older adults show performance improvements but lack similar structural brain changes, suggesting reduced neuroplasticity with age.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Brain Plasticity

Background:

  • Human spatial navigation relies on a complex network of cortical and subcortical brain structures.
  • Research on the plasticity of this network has predominantly focused on the hippocampus.
  • Investigating age-related differences in brain plasticity is crucial for understanding cognitive aging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine age-related differences in cortical thickness changes following extensive spatial navigation training.
  • To determine if spatial navigation training induces structural brain alterations in younger versus older adults.
  • To assess the persistence of navigation performance improvements and associated brain changes after training cessation.

Main Methods:

  • 91 male participants aged 20-30 years (young) and 60-70 years (old) underwent four months of spatial navigation training.
  • Cortical thickness was measured using automated methods before, immediately after, and four months post-training.
  • Navigation performance was assessed to quantify improvements and their maintenance over time.

Main Results:

  • Both younger and older navigators demonstrated significant improvements in navigation performance, with partial retention after training.
  • Training-related cortical thickening was observed in the left precuneus and paracentral lobule, but exclusively in young navigators.
  • Older navigators did not exhibit significant training-related cortical thickness changes in these regions.

Conclusions:

  • Spatial navigation training can induce structural brain alterations, specifically cortical thickening, in young adults.
  • The potential for experience-dependent cortical plasticity appears diminished in old age.
  • These findings highlight age-related differences in the brain's capacity for structural adaptation to environmental demands.