Rebalance the Inhibitory System in the Elderly Brain: Influence of Balance Learning on GABAergic Inhibition and...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Motor Control

Background:

• Aging leads to brain structural and functional declines, impacting motor performance in elderly adults.
• Reduced levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in motor areas are linked to decreased inhibitory tone and poorer motor function.
• Motor learning interventions are being explored to mitigate age-related neurological changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if 3 months of balance learning can counteract age-related declines in the sensorimotor network.
• To assess the impact of balance training on intracortical inhibition, brain metabolism, and functional connectivity in older adults.
• To explore the relationship between balance performance, GABA levels, and functional connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multimodal neuroimaging: magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diffusion MRI, functional MRI.
• Employed transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI).
• Compared a group of elderly adults undergoing balance training with a passive control group over 3 months.

Main Results:

• Balance learning significantly improved balance performance and increased sensorimotor cortical GABA levels.
• Functional connectivity in the ventral sensorimotor network (VSN-FC) was upregulated post-training.
• Positive correlations were observed between baseline VSN-FC, balance performance, and SICI, though not all survived correction.

Conclusions:

• Balance learning can mitigate age-related declines in brain functional connectivity and cortical inhibition.
• The findings highlight the interplay between the GABAergic system, functional connectivity, and behavioral improvements in aging.
• Motor learning offers a promising avenue for enhancing brain health and motor function in older populations.