Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
07:42
Dual-Task Stroop Paradigm for Detecting Cognitive Deficits in High-Functioning Stroke Patients
Published on: December 16, 2022
Motor- and cognitive-dominant functional network adaptations supporting dual-task performance in older adults
Yan Deng1, AmirHussein Abdolalizadeh1, Kayson Fakhar2,3
1Biological Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
Imaging Neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)
|June 3, 2026
Summary
Aging alters brain networks, making motor control more reliant on cognitive functions while cognitive abilities remain resilient. This asymmetric reorganization impacts motor variability and cognitive-motor interdependence, key markers of brain aging.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Aging Research
Background:
- Aging is linked to declines in motor and cognitive functions.
- Cognitive-motor dual-task paradigms assess these declines, but underlying brain mechanisms are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate age-related changes in functional brain networks during cognitive-motor dual-tasking.
- Examine how network reorganization supports or hinders dual-task performance in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with an MRI-compatible pedaling device.
- Assessed 40 older adults and 20 younger adults performing single and dual motor (pedaling) and cognitive (Go/NoGo) tasks.
- Analyzed task-based functional connectivity and brain-behavior relationships.
Main Results:
- Older adults showed motor dual-task costs but preserved cognitive performance.
- Cognitive networks exhibited increased connectivity in frontal regions (compensatory).
- Motor networks showed strengthened frontoparietal control but weakened sensorimotor pathways, indicating reduced automaticity and increased cognitive reliance.
Conclusions:
- Aging causes asymmetric network reorganization, increasing motor system dependence on cognitive control.
- Motor variability and cognitive-motor interdependence are sensitive markers of aging-related brain changes.
- Findings offer insights into individual differences in cognitive-motor aging trajectories.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
01:24Working Memory
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.