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Shared neural substrates of cognitive function and postural control in older adults
Patrick J Sparto1, Andrea L Rosso2, Ayushi A Divecha2
1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Summary
Poor postural control and cognitive decline in older adults are linked. Brain imaging reveals shared neural substrates, particularly in memory-related regions like the hippocampus, affecting dementia patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Cognitive impairment and poor postural control frequently coexist in aging populations.
- The underlying neural mechanisms connecting these deficits remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural substrates shared by postural control and cognitive function in older adults.
- To compare gray matter volume (GMV) and postural sway in individuals with normal cognition (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia.
Main Methods:
- Compared postural sway during a visual tracking (VT) task and brain gray matter volume (GMV) across NC, MCI, and dementia groups (n=179).
- Examined associations between VT error, cognitive status, and regional GMV.
Main Results:
- Increased VT error was significantly associated with dementia compared to NC and MCI.
- Lower GMV in bilateral hippocampi, parahippocampi, entorhinal, and parietal cortices correlated with greater VT error and poorer cognition.
- Hippocampal and parahippocampal GMV accounted for over 20% of the VT error difference between dementia and NC groups.
Conclusions:
- Postural control deficits during visuospatial tasks and dementia likely share common neural substrates.
- Memory-related brain regions, including the hippocampus, are implicated in the relationship between cognitive function and postural stability in older adults.
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