Electroacupuncture Modulates Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Default Mode Network for Healthy Older Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
Dong-qiong Fan ◽  
Hai-chao Zhao ◽  
Jing Sheng ◽  
Yun-rui Liu ◽  
Jing Yu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Default Mode Network ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Default Mode ◽  
Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex

Aging involves cognitive decline and prominent alterations in brain activity. Electroacupuncture (EA), a traditional Chinese medicine approach, is demonstrated to be effective in improving cognitive function of older adults. However, the specific neural mechanism underlying this modulation effect remains unclear. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether EA could improve cognitive performance of community-dwelling older adults and whether these potential improvements are associated with the EA-induced brain functional connectivity alterations. Thirty healthy older adults were recruited and randomly assigned to the EA group and the control group. Behaviorally, we observed an EA-induced improvement in cognitive performance of older adults in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. On a neural perspective, the EA intervention significantly increased the functional connectivity within the default mode network. Moreover, we found a positive association between the improvement in delayed memory performance and the alterations in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex-hippocampal formation connectivity in the EA group. This study extends previous findings by showing that healthy older adults exhibit neural plasticity manifested as increased functional connectivity after EA sessions, which could induce therapeutic effects in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals AEROBIC TRAINING, THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK, AND COGNITION IN OLDER ADULTS WITH MILD VASCULAR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S55-S55
Author(s):  
Rachel A Crockett ◽  
Chun Liang Hsu ◽  
Cindy Barha ◽  
Ging-Yuek Robin Hsiung ◽  
Teresa Liu-Ambrose
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Default Mode Network ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Aerobic Training ◽  
Vascular Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Default Mode ◽  
Global Cognitive Function

Abstract Aerobic training has been shown to be effective at improving cognitive and brain outcomes in older adults with mild subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment (SIVCI). However, uncertainty remains regarding the underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which exercise elicits these improvements in cognition. Increased aberrant functional connectivity of the default mode network has been highlighted as a factor contributing to cognitive decline in older adults with cognitive impairment. Greater connectivity of the DMN at rest is associated with poorer performance on attention-demanding tasks, indicative of a lack of ability to deactivate the network on task. Our previous work on a randomized controlled trial of participants with mild SIVCI, demonstrated that 6-months of thrice weekly aerobic training led to improved global cognitive function, as measured by Alzheimer’s disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), compared with a health education program. Thus, we conducted secondary analyses to investigate whether these changes in global cognitive function were associated with changes in resting state DMN connectivity. A subsample of 21 participants underwent a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan before and after trial completion. Change in resting state DMN connectivity was found to significantly predict change in ADAS-Cog score (β = -.442, p=.038) after controlling for age, intervention group, and baseline functional capacity (R2=.467, F(4,16)= 3.507, p=.031). These findings suggest that functional connectivity of the DMN may underlie changes in global cognitive function. Furthermore, aerobic exercise is a promising intervention by which to elicit these changes in older adults with mild SIVCI.

scholarly journals Perturbation Training for Fall-Risk Reduction in Healthy Older Adults: Interference and Generalization to Opposing Novel Perturbations Post Intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvi Bhatt ◽  
Yiru Wang ◽  
Shuaijie Wang ◽  
Lakshmi Kannan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Fall Risk ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Reactive Control ◽  
Ctrl Group ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Perturbation Training ◽  
Perturbed Walking

This study examined the effects of perturbation training on the contextual interference and generalization of encountering a novel opposing perturbation. One hundred and sixty-nine community-dwelling healthy older adults (69.6 ± 6.4 years) were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: slip-perturbation training (St, n = 67) group received 24 slips, trip-perturbation training (Tt, n = 67) group received 24 trips, and control (Ctrl: n = 31) group received only non-perturbed walking trials (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03199729; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03199729). After training, all groups had 30 min of rest and three post-training non-perturbed walking trials, followed by a reslip and a novel trip trial for St, a retrip and a novel slip trial for Tt, and randomized novel slip and trip trials for Ctrl. The margin of stability (MOS), step length, and toe clearance of post-training walking trials were compared among three groups to examine interferences in proactive adjustment. Falls, MOS at the instant of recovery foot touchdown, and hip height of post-training perturbation trials were investigated to detect interferences and generalization in reactive responses. Results indicated that prior adaptation to slip perturbation training, resulting in walking with a greater MOS (more anterior) and a shorter step length (p < 0.01) than that of the Ctrl group, would be associated with a greater likelihood to forward balance loss if encountered with a trip. The trip adaptation training mainly induced a higher toe clearance during walking (p < 0.01) than the Ctrl group, which could lead to reduced effectiveness of the reactive response when encountered with a novel slip. However, there was no difference in the reactive MOS, limb support, and falls between the control group and the slip and trip training groups on their respective opposing novel perturbation post-training (MOS, limb support, and falls for novel slip: Tt = Ctrl; for the novel trip: St = Ctrl, both p > 0.05). Current findings suggested that, although perturbation training results in proactive adjustments that could worsen the reactive response (interference) when exposed to an unexpected opposing perturbation, older adults demonstrated the ability to immediately generalize the training-induced adaptive reactive control to maintain MOS, to preserve limb support control, and to reduce fall risk.

scholarly journals A Dissociation in Effects of Risperidone Monotherapy on Functional and Anatomical Connectivity Within the Default Mode Network

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1309-1318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofen Zong ◽  
Maolin Hu ◽  
Spiro P Pantazatos ◽  
J John Mann ◽  
Gaohua Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Structure Function ◽  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Default Mode Network ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Antipsychotic Treatment ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Default Mode

Abstract Respective changes in functional and anatomical connectivities of default mode network (DMN) after antipsychotic treatment have been reported. However, alterations in structure–function coupling after treatment remain unknown. We performed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in 42 drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients (FESP) both at baseline and after 8-weeks risperidone monotherapy, and in 38 healthy volunteers. Independent component analysis was used to assess voxel-wise DMN synchrony. A 3-step procedure was used to trace fiber paths between DMN components. Structure–function couplings were assessed by Pearson’s correlations between mean fractional anisotropy and temporal correlation coefficients in major tracts of DMN. Pretreatment, FESP showed impaired functional connectivity in posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCUN) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but no abnormalities in fibers connecting DMN components. After treatment, there were significant increases in functional connectivities of PCC/PCUN. Increases in functional connectivity between PCC/PCUN and mPFC correlated with improvement in positive symptoms. The structure–function coupling in tracts connecting PCC/PCUN and bilateral medial temporal lobes decreased after treatment. No alterations in DMN fiber integrity were detected. This combination of functional and anatomical findings in FESP contributes novel evidence related to neurobehavioral treatment effects. Increased functional connectivities between PCC/PCUN and mPFC may be treatment response biomarkers for positive symptoms. Increases in functional connectivities, no alterations in fiber integrity, combined with decreases in structural–functional coupling, suggest that DMN connectivities may be dissociated by modality after 8-week treatment. Major limitations of this study, however, include lack of repeat scans in healthy volunteers and control group of patients taking placebo or comparator antipsychotics.

scholarly journals Mindfulness Training Improves Cognition and Strengthens Intrinsic Connectivity Between the Hippocampus and Posteromedial Cortex in Healthy Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunes Sevinc ◽  
Johann Rusche ◽  
Bonnie Wong ◽  
Tanya Datta ◽  
Robert Kaufman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Default Mode Network ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Default Mode ◽  
Intrinsic Connectivity

Maintaining optimal cognitive functioning throughout the lifespan is a public health priority. Evaluation of cognitive outcomes following interventions to promote and preserve brain structure and function in older adults, and associated neural mechanisms, are therefore of critical importance. In this randomized controlled trial, we examined the behavioral and neural outcomes following mindfulness training (n = 72), compared to a cognitive fitness program (n = 74) in healthy, cognitively normal, older adults (65–80 years old). To assess cognitive functioning, we used the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC), which combines measures of episodic memory, executive function, and global cognition. We hypothesized that mindfulness training would enhance cognition, increase intrinsic functional connectivity measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between the hippocampus and posteromedial cortex, as well as promote increased gray matter volume within those regions. Following the 8-week intervention, the mindfulness training group showed improved performance on the PACC, while the control group did not. Furthermore, following mindfulness training, greater improvement on the PACC was associated with a larger increase in intrinsic connectivity within the default mode network, particularly between the right hippocampus and posteromedial cortex and between the left hippocampus and lateral parietal cortex. The cognitive fitness training group did not show such effects. These findings demonstrate that mindfulness training improves cognitive performance in cognitively intact older individuals and strengthens connectivity within the default mode network, which is particularly vulnerable to aging affects.Clinical Trial Registration: [https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02628548], identifier [NCT02628548].

scholarly journals Resting-state functional brain connectivity in a predominantly African-American sample of older adults: exploring links among personality traits, cognitive performance, and the default mode network

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole T. Crane ◽  
Jessica M. Hayes ◽  
Raymond P. Viviano ◽  
Tim Bogg ◽  
Jessica S. Damoiseaux
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
African American ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Default Mode Network ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Default Mode

Abstract The personality traits of neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness are relevant factors for cognitive aging outcomes. The present study examined how these traits were associated with cognitive abilities and corresponding resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the default mode network (DMN) in an older and predominantly minority sample. A sample of 58 cognitively unimpaired, largely African-American, older adults (M age = 68.28 ± 8.33) completed a standard RSFC magnetic resonance imaging sequence, a Big Five measure of personality, and delayed memory, Stroop, and verbal fluency tasks. Personality trait associations of within-network connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a hub of the DMN, were examined using a seed-based approach. Trait scores were regressed on cognitive performance (delayed memory for neuroticism, Stroop for conscientiousness, and verbal fluency for openness). Greater openness predicted greater verbal fluency and greater RSFC between the PCC and eight clusters, including the medial prefrontal cortex, left middle frontal gyrus, and precuneus. Greater PCC–precuneus connectivity predicted greater verbal fluency. Neuroticism and conscientiousness did not significantly predict either cognitive performance or RSFC. Although requiring replication and elaboration, the results implicate openness as a contributing factor to cognitive aging via concomitant cognitive performance and connectivity within cortical hubs of the DMN and add to the sparse literature on these variables in a diverse group of older adults.

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