Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
Cereb Cortex. 2021 Oct 1;31(11):5263-5274. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhab156.
The neural mechanisms contributing to flexible cognition and behavior and how they change with development and aging are incompletely understood. The current study explored intrinsic brain dynamics across the lifespan using resting-state fMRI data (n = 601, 6-85 years) and examined the interactions between age and brain dynamics among three neurocognitive networks (midcingulo-insular network, M-CIN; medial frontoparietal network, M-FPN; and lateral frontoparietal network, L-FPN) in relation to behavioral measures of cognitive flexibility. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed brain dynamics among a brain state characterized by co-activation of the L-FPN and M-FPN, and brain state transitions, moderated the relationship between quadratic effects of age and cognitive flexibility as measured by scores on the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) test. Furthermore, simple slope analyses of significant interactions revealed children and older adults were more likely to exhibit brain dynamic patterns associated with poorer cognitive flexibility compared with younger adults. Our findings link changes in cognitive flexibility observed with age with the underlying brain dynamics supporting these changes. Preventative and intervention measures should prioritize targeting these networks with cognitive flexibility training to promote optimal outcomes across the lifespan.
神经机制有助于灵活的认知和行为，以及它们如何随着发展和衰老而变化，这些机制尚未完全被理解。本研究使用静息态 fMRI 数据（n=601，6-85 岁）探索了整个生命周期中的内在大脑动力学，并研究了三个神经认知网络（中扣带岛叶网络、M-CIN；内侧额顶网络、M-FPN；和外侧额顶网络、L-FPN）之间的年龄与大脑动力学之间的相互作用与认知灵活性的行为测量有关。分层多元回归分析显示，以 L-FPN 和 M-FPN 共同激活为特征的大脑状态之间的大脑动力学以及大脑状态转换，调节了以 Delis-Kaplan 执行功能系统（D-KEFS）测试分数衡量的年龄和认知灵活性的二次效应之间的关系。此外，显著相互作用的简单斜率分析表明，与年轻成年人相比，儿童和老年人更有可能表现出与较差认知灵活性相关的大脑动态模式。我们的发现将随着年龄观察到的认知灵活性变化与支持这些变化的潜在大脑动力学联系起来。预防和干预措施应该优先考虑针对这些网络进行认知灵活性训练，以促进整个生命周期的最佳结果。
