Brain network connectivity declined in older adults
Scans about four years apart in 45 older adults showed declines in connectivity both within and between brain networks.
127 participants
Limit: Only 45 older adults had repeat scans
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
An observational study of 53 younger adults and 127 older adults examined activity within and between eight large brain networks. Researchers measured functional connectivity—how closely activity in different brain regions varied together—using scans taken while participants rested. They rescanned 45 older adults approximately four years later.
In comparisons between participants, older age was associated with lower connectivity both within and between networks. Connectivity also declined within and between networks in the older adults who had repeat scans. These declines were widespread rather than confined to particular networks. Network segregation, a measure of how distinct the networks were from one another, did not change over time.
Why it matters
Changes in coordination among brain networks may contribute to cognitive and behavioral decline with age. Following individuals over time helps researchers investigate this possible link beyond comparisons between younger and older people.
Caveats
The study was observational, so it could not establish what caused the connectivity changes or whether they contributed to cognitive decline. Comparisons between age groups may also reflect generational differences; only 45 older adults had repeat scans.
- Network segregation
- Between-network functional connectivity
- Within-network functional connectivity
- Humans
The paper
Age-related Changes in Brain Connectivity: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Effects
University of Michigan
Imaging Neuroscience, Oct 27, 2026, Open access, CC BY
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