Mobility Function and Aperiodic Electrocortical Activity in Younger and Older Adults.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Mobility decline is a significant aspect of aging, with walking speed recognized as a vital sign.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) metrics, particularly aperiodic EEG, show potential for understanding neural mechanisms underlying age-related changes.
• Previous research indicates differences in aperiodic EEG across age, cognition, and neurological conditions, but its role in mobility tasks and specific brain regions remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare aperiodic EEG metrics between younger and older adults during rest and walking.
• To investigate age-related differences in aperiodic EEG across various brain regions.
• To determine if oscillatory and aperiodic EEG in sensorimotor regions predict walking speed independently of demographic factors.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of EEG data from 31 younger adults and 59 older adults during resting and treadmill walking conditions.
• Comparison of aperiodic EEG metrics (exponent and offset) between age groups and across different brain regions.
• Application of machine learning to identify EEG predictors of walking speed, controlling for age, waist circumference, and sex.

Main Results:

• Older adults exhibited lower aperiodic exponent and offset at rest and during walking compared to younger adults.
• Age-related differences in aperiodic EEG were observed in a subset of brain regions.
• Right sensorimotor alpha, left sensorimotor offset, and beta oscillations were identified as key predictors of individual walking speed, even after accounting for demographic variables.

Conclusions:

• Aperiodic and oscillatory EEG patterns in specific sensorimotor brain regions are associated with walking speed.
• These EEG metrics may offer valuable insights into brain health and the neurological underpinnings of age-related mobility decline.
• Further research into EEG biomarkers could aid in early identification and intervention strategies for mobility issues.