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Evidence Linking Brain Activity Modulation to Age and to Deductive Training.
P Álvarez Merino1, C Requena1, F Salto1
1Department of Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, University of León, Campus de Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain.
Neural Plasticity
|January 1, 2019
Summary
Deductive reasoning training benefits both younger and older adults by reducing brain activation and improving task performance. Age influences how the brain modulates activity, with younger adults showing symmetrical patterns and older adults showing asymmetrical patterns.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Brain activity modulation varies with age and task demands.
- The impact of external factors like training on brain modulation dynamics remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of deductive reasoning training on brain activity modulation in healthy younger and older adults.
- To determine if age influences the brain's adaptive strategies during cognitive tasks.
Main Methods:
- Utilized time-averaging low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) to analyze current density images.
- Compared brain activity patterns in younger (N=47, mean age 21) and older (N=38, mean age 69) adults before and after deductive reasoning training.
Main Results:
- Deductive reasoning training significantly improved correct responses and lowered cerebral activation in both age groups (p < 0.001).
- Bilateral overactivation was observed in both groups, indicating task-related adaptation.
- Younger adults exhibited symmetrical bilateral activation in anterior brain regions, while older adults showed asymmetrical activation in both anterior and posterior regions.
Conclusions:
- Bilateral brain activation patterns may serve as an adaptive mechanism for maintaining cognitive function during demanding tasks across different age groups.
- Age-specific differences in the location of bilateral activation suggest that age plays a role in determining the brain's modulation tendencies.
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