Age-related decrease in functional connectivity of the right fronto-insular cortex with the central executive and
1Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Neuroscience Letters
|April 16, 2013
Summary
Functional connectivity between the right fronto-insular cortex (rFIC) and cognitive networks declines with age. This age-related decrease in brain network connections may impact cognitive function in adults.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- The right fronto-insular cortex (rFIC) is a key hub in the salience network (SN).
- The rFIC facilitates switching between the central executive network (CEN) and default-mode network (DMN).
- Age-related declines in brain network functional connectivity (FC) are documented in older populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between age and the functional connectivity (FC) of the rFIC with the CEN and DMN.
- To test the hypothesis that rFIC connectivity with CEN and DMN decreases across adulthood from youth to middle age.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 171 healthy adults (aged 17-62).
- Voxel-wise functional connectivity (FC) analysis was employed.
- Analyses were conducted with and without correction for brain atrophy.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related decreases were observed in positive FC between the rFIC and CEN.
- Significant age-related decreases were observed in negative FC between the rFIC and DMN.
- These findings persisted even after controlling for brain atrophy.
Conclusions:
- The functional connectivity of the rFIC with the CEN and DMN degrades with age, even in middle-aged adults.
- This age-related degradation may impair the rFIC's ability to effectively switch between the CEN and DMN.
- Impaired network switching may negatively impact cognitive function in aging adults.
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