Executive control function, brain activation and white matter hyperintensities in older adults

Abstract

CONTEXT: Older adults responding to executive control function (ECF) tasks show greater brain activation on functional MRI (fMRI). It is not clear whether greater fMRI activation indicates a strategy to compensate for underlying brain structural abnormalities while maintaining higher performance. OBJECTIVE: To identify the patterns of fMRI activation in relationship with ECF performance and with brain structural abnormalities. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: fMRI activation, accuracy while performing an ECF task (Digit Symbol Substitution Test), and volume of white matter hyperintensities and of total brain atrophy. SETTING: Cohort of community-dwelling older ad..