Alterations of local functional connectivity in lifespan: A resting‐state fMRI study

Abstract

Introduction As aging attracted attention globally, revealing changes in brain function across the lifespan was largely concerned. In this study, we aimed to reveal the changes of functional networks of the brain (via local functional connectivity, local FC) in lifespan and explore the mechanism underlying them. Materials and Methods A total of 523 healthy participants (258 males and 265 females) aged 18–88 years from part of the Cambridge Center for Ageing and Neuroscience (CamCAN) were involved in this study. Next, two data‐driven measures of local FC, local functional connectivity density (lFCD) and four‐dimensional spatial‐temporal consistency of local neural activity (FOCA), were calculated, and then, general linear models were used to assess the changes of them in lifespan. Results Local functional connectivity (lFCD and FOCA) within visual networks (VN), sensorimotor network (SMN), and default mode network (DMN) decreased across the lifespan, while within basal ganglia network (BGN), local connectivity was increased across the lifespan. And, the fluid intelligence decreased within BGN while increased within VN, SMN, and DMN. Conclusion These results might suggest that the decline of executive control and intrinsic cognitive ability in the aging population was related to the decline of functional connectivity in VN, SMN, and DMN. Meanwhile, BGN might play a regulatory role in the aging process to compensate for the dysfunction of other functional systems. Our findings may provide important neuroimaging evidence for exploring the brain functional mechanism in lifespan.

Exploring attention in the bilingualism continuum: A resting-state functional connectivity study

“…Therefore, understanding the age-related changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) is crucial to decipher the impact of bilingualism. Alerting, orienting, and executive control are often related to the various predefined resting-state intrinsic networksfrontoparietal attention network (FPAN), dorsal and ventral attention network (DAN, VAN) (Fan et Studies have shown an age-related decline in functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN; Wen, He, Dong, Chen, Yang, Guo, Luo, & Yao 2020), FPAN (Yao, Yang, Hwang & Hsieh., 2020), and visual network (VN; Wen et al, 2020). In contrast, some studies suggest an increase in functional connectivity with age for the frontal and parietal network (involved in attention), also in somatosensory, motor cortices, and subcortical networks (Damoiseaux, 2017;Ferreira & Busatto, 2013).…”

A novel dynamic network imaging analysis method reveals aging-related fragmentation of cortical networks in mouse

“…Functional connectivity between brain regions can change rapidly over time ( Hutchison et al, 2013 ; Robinson, Atlas, & Wager, 2015 ), is not easily predictable from anatomical connectivity ( Vanduffel, Payne, Lomber, & Orban, 1997 ), and is altered in several different pathological states ( Damaraju et al, 2014 ; Damoiseaux, Prater, Miller, & Greicius, 2012 ; Schmidt, Carpenter-Thompson, & Husain, 2017 ; Supekar, Menon, Rubin, Musen, & Greicius, 2008 ). In addition, cortical networks appear particularly vulnerable to aging and demonstrate diminished network-level functional connectivity over the lifespan ( Andrews-Hanna et al, 2007 ; Ash et al, 2016 ; Battaglia et al, 2020 ; Tomasi & Volkow, 2012 ; Wen et al, 2020 ). Furthermore, aging-related disruptions in functional connectivity correlate with declines in cognitive performance ( Onoda, Ishihara, & Yamaguchi, 2012 ).…”

Exploring attention in the bilingualism continuum: A resting-state functional connectivity study

“…Similarly, seeds in the alerting network (right superior temporal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobe) show a negative correlation with various occipital regionsleft inferior lateral occipital cortex and right lingual gyrus, and occipital pole. Various rsFC studies in the past have reported an overall negative network correlation between a visual network with frontoparietal, dorsal, and ventral attentional networks (Wen et al, 2020). In addition to the network dynamics, the negative association between L2 task proficiency and rsFC can be explained by the age-related shift on the impact of cognitive reserve variables.…”

“…Thus, attention is, inarguably, a gateway to working memory (Awh, & Jonides, 2001; Mackie, Van Dam, & Fan., 2013) and is vital to implement cognitive control (Mackie et al, 2013). Several studies tapping into the subcomponents of attention have shown better performance for the bilinguals (Costa et al, 2008 Wen et al, 2020). In contrast, some studies suggest an increase in functional connectivity with age for the frontal and parietal network (involved in attention), also in somatosensory, motor cortices, and subcortical networks (Damoiseaux, 2017;Ferreira & Busatto, 2013).…”