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Age-specific activation of cerebral areas in motor imagery—a fMRI study

  • Functional Neuroradiology
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Abstract

Introduction

The objectives of this study were to study the age-specific activation patterns of cerebral areas during motor execution (ME) and motor imaging (MI) of the upper extremities and to discuss the age-related neural mechanisms associated with ME or MI.

Methods

The functional magnetic resonance imaging technique was used to monitor the pattern and intensity of brain activation during the ME and MI of the upper extremities in 20 elderly (>50 years) and 19 young healthy subjects (<25 years).

Results

No major differences were identified regarding the activated brain areas during ME or MI between the two groups; however, a minor difference was noted. The intensity of the activated brain area during ME was stronger in the older group than in the younger group, while the results with MI were the opposite. The posterior central gyrus and supplementary motor area during MI were more active in the younger group than in the older group. The putamen, lingual, and so on demonstrated stronger activation during dominant hand MI in the older group.

Conclusion

The results of this study revealed that the brain structure was altered and that neuronal activity was attenuated with age, and the cerebral cortex and subcortical tissues were found to be over-activated to achieve the same level of ME and MI, indicating that the activating effects of the left hemisphere enhanced with age, whereas the inhibitory effects declined during ME, and activation of the right hemisphere became more difficult during MI.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by 2012 National Nature Science “Study on the neural mechanism of motor imagery in the rehabilitation of patients with stroke hemiplegia” (No. 81171866).

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China

    Li Wang & Xiaolin Zheng

  2. Department of Medical Image, College of Biomedical Engineering, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China

    Li Wang, Mingguo Qiu, Jingna Zhang, Ye Zhang & Linqiong Sang

  3. Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China

    Chen Liu & Jun Yang

  4. Department of Rehabilitation, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China

    Rubing Yan

Authors
  1. Li Wang
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  2. Mingguo Qiu
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  3. Chen Liu
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  4. Rubing Yan
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  5. Jun Yang
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  6. Jingna Zhang
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  7. Ye Zhang
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  8. Linqiong Sang
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  9. Xiaolin Zheng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaolin Zheng.

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Wang, L., Qiu, M., Liu, C. et al. Age-specific activation of cerebral areas in motor imagery—a fMRI study. Neuroradiology 56, 339–348 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-014-1331-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-014-1331-5

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