[The function of auditory cortex in the elderly using functional near-infrared spectroscopy technology].

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Auditory Perception
• Aging Research

Background:

• Aging impacts cognitive functions, including auditory processing.
• Understanding age-related changes in brain activity during speech perception is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of aging on cerebral cortex neuroimaging characteristics during speech perception.
• To compare brain activation patterns between young and elderly adults in various auditory conditions.

Main Methods:

• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and psychophysical testing were employed.
• Thirty-four participants (17 young, 17 elderly) performed speech perception tasks in varying noise levels.
• Regions of interest included temporal lobe, Broca's area, Wernicke's area, and motor cortex.

Main Results:

• Elderly adults exhibited lower activation areas and degrees compared to young adults across all conditions.
• The young group showed significantly more activation channels, predominantly in the left hemisphere.
• Speech recognition scores were higher in the young group, with significant performance decline in both groups at lower signal-to-noise ratios, but earlier for the elderly.

Conclusions:

• Aging leads to deteriorated speech perception in noise and reduced cerebral cortex activity.
• The left hemisphere, dominant for speech, is significantly affected by aging.
• Older adults demonstrate overall lower brain activation during speech perception tasks.