Cognitive Training and Brain Network Adaptation in Aging
Summary
Cognitive training programmes aim to harness neuroplasticity by engaging older adults in structured tasks that challenge memory, attention and executive functions. Ageing is associated with declines in large-scale brain network efficiency, characterised by altered communication among the default mode, salience and central executive networks. Interventions involving multi‐domain training, mnemonic strategies or adaptive task difficulty have been shown to bolster connectivity within specialised modules while preserving the balance between network segregation and integration. Evidence indicates that training can stabilise or enhance functional coupling in key hubs of the prefrontal and parietal cortices, attenuate age‐related increases in neural entropy and foster more efficient information transfer across distributed circuits. Such adaptations underpin improvements in cognitive performance and suggest practical applications for healthy ageing and rehabilitation.
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Cognitive Training and Brain Network Adaptation in Aging publication trend
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Technical terms
Functional connectivity: Temporal correlation of activity between spatially distinct brain regions, reflecting coordinated communication.
Network segregation: Degree to which a brain network forms specialised, densely interconnected modules.
Network integration: Extent of efficient information transfer across different modules or communities in the brain.
Modularity: Quantitative measure of the strength of division of a network into segregated sub‐networks or modules.
Functional entropy: Metric of unpredictability in neural signal fluctuations, often increasing with age or network disruption.
Time-domain entropy: Measure of complexity in the temporal patterns of neural activity, sensitive to structural and vascular changes.
References
- Effects of Cognitive Training on Resting-State Functional Connectivity of Default Mode, Salience, and Central Executive Networks. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (2016).
- The Effects of Cognitive Training on Brain Network Activity and Connectivity in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases: a Systematic Review. Neuropsychology Review (2020).
- Modular Brain Network Organization Predicts Response to Cognitive Training in Older Adults. PLOS ONE (2016).
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