Reduced functional segregation between the default mode network and the executive control network in healthy older adults: A longitudinal study
Kwun Kei Ng, June C. Lo, Joseph K.W. Lim, Michael W.L. Chee, Juan Zhou
Neuroimage March 19, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.029 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal cohort study Cross-sectional Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 78 |
| Population | Healthy older adults |
| Duration | 4 years |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Citations | 237 |
| Key findings | Longitudinal changes in functional connectivity within and between the executive control and default mode networks are associated with age-related decline in processing speed. |
Abstract
The effects of age on functional connectivity (FC) of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) have largely been derived from cross-sectional studies. Far less is known about longitudinal changes in FC and how they relate to ageing-related cognitive decline. We evaluated intra- and inter-network FC in 78 healthy older adults two or three times over a period of 4years. Using linear mixed modeling we found progressive loss of functional specialization with ageing, evidenced by a decline in intra-network FC within the executive control (ECN) and default mode networks (DMN). In contrast, longitudinal inter-network FC between ECN and DMN showed a u-shaped trajectory whereby functional segregation between these two networks initially increased over time and later decreased as participants aged. The rate of loss in functional segregation between ECN and DMN was associated with ageing-related decline in processing speed. The observed longitudinal FC changes and their associations with processing speed remained after correcting for longitudinal reduction in gray matter volume. These findings help connect ageing-related changes in FC with ageing-related decline in cognitive performance and underscore the value of collecting concurrent longitudinal imaging and behavioral data.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- The Default Mode Network in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Brain Connectivity December 5, 2016
- Cooperation and competition between the default mode network and frontal parietal network in the elderly Frontiers in Psychology May 19, 2023
- Longitudinal functional connectivity patterns of the default mode network in healthy older adults Neuroimage June 1, 2022
- The Longitudinal Trajectory of Default Mode Network Connectivity in Healthy Older Adults Varies As a Function of Age and Is Associated with Changes in Episodic Memory and Processing Speed Journal of Neuroscience February 13, 2018
Cites 4
- Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology March 29, 2012
- Functional connectivity of default mode network components: Correlation, anticorrelation, and causality Human Brain Mapping January 24, 2008
- Age-related alterations in default mode network: Impact on working memory performance Neurobiology of Aging August 1, 2008
- Sleep deprivation reduces default mode network connectivity and anti-correlation during rest and task performance Neuroimage August 19, 2011