Age-dependent changes in the neural correlates of force modulation: An fMRI study

Functional imaging studies in humans have demonstrated widespread age-related changes in cortical motor networks. However, the relative contribution of cortical regions during motor performance varies not only with age but with task parameters. In this study, we investigated whether motor system act...

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Published inNeurobiology of aging Vol. 29; no. 9; pp. 1434 - 1446
Main Authors Ward, Nick S., Swayne, Orlando B.C., Newton, Jennifer M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2008
Elsevier
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Aging
Aging - physiology
BOLD
Dominant
Evoked Potentials, Motor - physiology
Female
fMRI
Hand grip
Hand Strength - physiology
Humans
Internal Medicine
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Motor Cortex - physiology
Motor system
Muscle Contraction - physiology
Neurology
Non-dominant
Statistics as Topic
Stress, Mechanical
Task Performance and Analysis
fMRI
Non-dominant
Hand grip
Aging
BOLD
Dominant
Motor system
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Summary:Functional imaging studies in humans have demonstrated widespread age-related changes in cortical motor networks. However, the relative contribution of cortical regions during motor performance varies not only with age but with task parameters. In this study, we investigated whether motor system activity during a task involving increasingly forceful hand grips was influenced by age. Forty right-handed volunteers underwent functional magnetic brain imaging whilst performing repetitive isometric hand grips with either hand in separate sessions. We found no age-related changes in the average size and shape of the task-related blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in contralateral primary motor cortex (M1), but did observe reduced ipsilateral M1 deactivation in older subjects (both hands). Furthermore, task-related activity co-varied positively with force output in a number of brain regions, but was less prominent with advancing age in contralateral M1, cingulate sulcus (both hands), sensory and premotor cortices (right hand). These results indicate that a reduced ability to modulate activity in appropriate motor networks when required may contribute to age-related decline in motor performance.
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Present address: Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
ISSN:0197-4580
1558-1497
1558-1497
DOI:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.04.017