Shared neural recruitment across working memory and motor control tasks as a function of task difficulty and age
Courtney R Gerver1, Kristina A Neely2, Kyle A Kurkela1
1Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University , State College, PA, USA.
Summary
Older adults maintain shared brain mechanisms for working memory (WM) and motor control, especially with increased task difficulty. These cognitive functions recruit common frontoparietal regions, regardless of age.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Aging Research
Background:
- Previous research suggests overlapping cognitive and neural mechanisms for working memory (WM) and motor control in older adults, particularly under high task demands.
- Existing evidence often comes from separate studies, limiting direct comparisons of these functional domains within the same individuals.
- Understanding shared mechanisms is crucial for addressing age-related cognitive decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether working memory (WM) and motor control recruit common neural mechanisms in older adults using fMRI.
- To determine if the recruitment of these common mechanisms increases with task demand and participant age.
- To examine the neural basis of cognitive and motor function in aging.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed in a cohort of older adults.
- Participants completed tasks designed to assess working memory (WM) and motor control.
- Conjunction analyses were used to identify brain regions engaged by both tasks and modulated by task demand and age.
Main Results:
- A conjunction analysis across WM and motor tasks revealed that several frontoparietal regions were engaged as task demand increased.
- A separate analysis incorporating age as a predictor showed that these same regions exhibited increased recruitment with both rising task demand and advancing age.
- These findings indicate a shared neural substrate for WM and motor control in older adults.
Conclusions:
- The recruitment of common frontoparietal regions during working memory and motor tasks in response to increasing task difficulty is preserved across the lifespan of older adults.
- These findings highlight the robustness of shared neural mechanisms supporting cognitive and motor functions in aging.
- This research provides insights into the neural adaptations underlying cognitive and motor performance in older populations.
