Trajectories and contributing factors of neural compensation in healthy and pathological aging

Nico Bunzeck; Tineke K Steiger; Ulrike M Krämer; Kerstin Luedtke; Lisa Marshall; Jonas Obleser; Sarah Tune

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105489

Trajectories and contributing factors of neural compensation in healthy and pathological aging

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2024 Jan:156:105489. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105489. Epub 2023 Nov 29.

Authors

Nico Bunzeck¹, Tineke K Steiger², Ulrike M Krämer³, Kerstin Luedtke⁴, Lisa Marshall⁵, Jonas Obleser⁶, Sarah Tune⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany. Electronic address: nico.bunzeck@uni-luebeck.de.
² Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
⁴ Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Lübeck, Germany.
⁵ Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany; Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lübeck, Germany.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Germany.

PMID: 38040075
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105489

Abstract

Neural degeneration is a hallmark of healthy aging and can be associated with specific cognitive impairments. However, neural degeneration per se is not matched by unremitting declines in cognitive abilities. Instead, middle-aged and older adults typically maintain surprisingly high levels of cognitive functioning, suggesting that the human brain can adapt to structural degeneration by neural compensation. Here, we summarize prevailing theories and recent empirical studies on neural compensation with a focus on often neglected contributing factors, such as lifestyle, metabolism and neural plasticity. We suggest that these factors moderate the relationship between structural integrity and neural compensation, maintaining psychological well-being and behavioral functioning. Finally, we discuss that a breakdown in neural compensation may pose a tipping point that distinguishes the trajectories of healthy vs pathological aging, but conjoint support from psychology and cognitive neuroscience for this alluring view is still scarce. Therefore, future experiments that target the concomitant processes of neural compensation and associated behavior will foster a comprehensive understanding of both healthy and pathological aging.

Keywords: Healthy aging; Neural compensation; Pathological aging; Structural degeneration.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aged
Aging / psychology
Brain
Cognition
Cognitive Dysfunction*
Cognitive Neuroscience*
Humans
Middle Aged