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| Home > Publications database > Reduced dynamic functional connectivity in higher ages: are older brains less adaptable? |
| Home > Publications database > Reduced dynamic functional connectivity in higher ages: are older brains less adaptable? |
| Conference Presentation (After Call) | FZJ-2025-05035 |
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2025
Abstract: Static functional connectivity (FC) approaches, assuming constant interactions between brain regions, revealed important insights into the aging process. Nevertheless, recent research has indicated that a more sophisticated understanding of the time-varying nature of brain function may prove particularly useful in identifying biomarkers for healthy aging.The current study therefore investigated dynamic FC (dFC) in a large group of older adults (1000BRAINS; n=817; 373 females; 55-85 years; MAge=67±7). Time-varying correlation matrices and dFC states were extracted from resting-state fMRI using sliding windows and clustering. We examined both, temporal features of dFC states, e.g. duration and transitions, together with age-related differences in network architecture (17 networks Schaefer parcellation). We found four distinct dFC states, of which two showed agesensitive patterns. The first was distinguished by highly connected networks and became less prevalent with age. In contrast, the second state was characterized by reduced network connectivity, becoming more prevalent with age. Together with a decline in transition between states, the results underscore an age-related reduction in overall network communication and a reduced capacity for functional adaptation. The findings challenge the conventional understanding of brain network interactions by emphasizing the dynamic adaptability of the brain in explaining variations in cognitive functioning.
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