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Cortical thickness changes following spatial navigation training in adulthood and aging
- Source :
- NeuroImage, NeuroImage 59(4), 3389-3397 (2012). doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.11.015
- Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- A widespread network involving cortical and subcortical brain structures forms the neural substrate of human spatial navigation. Most studies investigating plasticity of this network have focused on the hippocampus. Here, we investigate age differences in cortical thickness changes evoked by four months of spatial navigation training in 91 men aged 20-30 or 60-70 years. Cortical thickness was automatically measured before, immediately after, and four months after termination of training. Younger as well as older navigators evidenced large improvements in navigation performance that were partly maintained after termination of training. Importantly, training-related cortical thickening in left precuneus and paracentral lobule were observed in young navigators only. Thus, spatial navigation training appears to affect cortical brain structure of young adults, but there is reduced potential for experience-dependent cortical alterations in old age.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Aging
Extraterrestrial Environment
Neural substrate
Cognitive Neuroscience
Posterior parietal cortex
Hippocampus
Spatial memory
Young Adult
physiology [Cerebral Cortex]
Neuroimaging
Learning
Humans
physiology [Neuronal Plasticity]
ddc:610
physiology [Learning]
Prefrontal cortex
Paracentral lobule
Aged
Cerebral Cortex
Environmental enrichment
Neuronal Plasticity
Age Factors
Middle Aged
physiology [Aging]
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neurology
anatomy & histology [Cerebral Cortex]
Psychology
Neuroscience
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- NeuroImage, NeuroImage 59(4), 3389-3397 (2012). doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.11.015
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....d9c7487eeef49c776454609ad5e5c4b9