The impact of aging on human brain network target controllability

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Network Science
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Understanding brain network control is key for behavior and disease intervention.
• Network controllability offers insights into influencing brain dynamics via structural connectomes.
• Controlling specific brain subsystems and age-related changes in controllability are underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and apply a novel target controllability approach to quantify brain node centrality in controlling specific anatomo-functional systems.
• To investigate how target control centrality changes across the human lifespan (ages 5-85).
• To simulate the impact of targeted attacks (e.g., stroke) on brain control properties.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel target controllability approach to measure node centrality for specific target systems.
• Analyzed human connectomes from a wide age range (5-85 years).
• Simulated targeted attacks to assess network resilience and vulnerability.

Main Results:

• The sensorimotor system demonstrates high influence but is difficult to control.
• Target control centrality significantly varies with age.
• Temporal-parietal regions, critical in dementia, show reduced centrality in older adults.
• Simulated strokes predominantly affect the ipsilesional hemisphere, with greater control degradation observed in younger individuals.

Conclusions:

• Brain network controllability is dynamic and age-dependent.
• Sensorimotor and temporal-parietal regions exhibit distinct controllability profiles across the lifespan.
• Age-related changes in brain network control may explain differential vulnerability to conditions like stroke, particularly in younger populations.