Trait- and State-Dependent Changes in Cortical-Subcortical Functional Networks Across the Adult Lifespan

Abstract

Background: How the functional interactions of the basal ganglia/thalamus with the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum change over the adult lifespan in movie-watching and resting-state is less clear.

Purpose: To investigate the functional changes in the organization of the human cortical-subcortical functional networks over the adult lifespan using movie-watching and resting-state fMRI data.

Study type: Cohort.

Subjects: Healthy 467 adults (cross-sectional individuals aged 18-88 years) from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (www.cam-can.com). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: fMRI using a gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence at 3 T.

Assessment: Functional connectivities (FCs) of the subcortical subregions (i.e. the basal ganglia and thalamus) with both the cerebral cortex and cerebellum were examined in fMRI data acquired during resting state and movie-watching. And, fluid intelligence scores were also assessed.

Statistical tests: Student's t-tests, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected.

Results: As age increased, FCs that mainly within the basal ganglia and thalamus, and between the basal ganglia/thalamus and cortical networks (including the dorsal attention, ventral attention, and limbic networks) were both increased/decreased during movie-watching and resting states. However, FCs showed a state-dependent component with advancing age. During the movie-watching state, the FCs between the basal ganglia/thalamus and cerebellum/frontoparietal control networks were mainly increased with age, and the FCs in the somatomotor network were decreased with age. During the resting state, the FCs between the basal ganglia/thalamus and default mode/visual networks were mainly increased with age, and the FCs in the cerebellum were mainly decreased with age. Moreover, inverse relationships between FCs and fluid intelligence were mainly found in these network regions.

Data conclusion: Our study may suggest that changes in cortical-subcortical functional networks across the adult lifespan were both state-dependent and stable traits, and that aging fMRI studies should consider the effects of both physiological characteristics and individual situations.

Evidence level: 2.

Technical efficacy: Stage 3.

Keywords: aging; basal ganglia; functional connectivity; lifespan; thalamus.