Structural and functional network mechanisms of rescuing cognitive control in aging
Kevin T Jones1, Elizabeth L Johnson2, Adam Gazzaley3
1Department of Neurology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Neuroscape, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
Neuroimage
|August 8, 2022
Summary
Theta transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) enhances cognitive control in older adults by improving brain connectivity. However, white matter integrity limits these gains, suggesting earlier intervention is more effective.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Cognitive control declines with age, impacting daily independence.
- Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) previously improved cognitive control in adults.
- tACS effects can extend beyond stimulated regions and frequencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate network-level neural changes from tACS in older adults.
- To evaluate anatomical pathways underlying tACS effects on cognitive control.
- To assess if tACS can rescue age-related cognitive control deficits.
Main Methods:
- Older adults received daily prefrontal theta (6 Hz) or control (1 Hz) tACS for three days during a cognitive intervention.
- Functional connectivity was assessed using electroencephalography (EEG) phase-locking values (PLV).
- Structural connectivity was measured using MRI diffusion tractography.
Main Results:
- Theta tACS improved multitasking performance.
- Theta tACS strengthened frontal-posterior PLV, while control tACS reduced it.
- Strengthened alpha-beta PLV correlated with white matter tract integrity (inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corpus callosum) and explained performance gains.
Conclusions:
- Theta tACS enhances cognitive control in aging by strengthening functional connectivity, particularly in higher frequency bands.
- The efficacy of tACS is constrained by the integrity of underlying white matter tracts.
- tACS may be most effective as a therapeutic intervention before advanced age-related white matter degradation.
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