Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults
Almost 25% of all older adults experience difficulty walking. Mobility difficulties for older adults are more pronounced when they perform a simultaneous cognitive task while walking (i.e., dual task walking). Although it is known that aging results in widespread brain atrophy, few studies have inte...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-03-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.809281/full |
| _version_ | 1818313111032037376 |
|---|---|
| author | Kathleen E. Hupfeld Justin M. Geraghty Heather R. McGregor C. J. Hass Ofer Pasternak Rachael D. Seidler Rachael D. Seidler |
| author_facet | Kathleen E. Hupfeld Justin M. Geraghty Heather R. McGregor C. J. Hass Ofer Pasternak Rachael D. Seidler Rachael D. Seidler |
| author_sort | Kathleen E. Hupfeld |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Almost 25% of all older adults experience difficulty walking. Mobility difficulties for older adults are more pronounced when they perform a simultaneous cognitive task while walking (i.e., dual task walking). Although it is known that aging results in widespread brain atrophy, few studies have integrated across more than one neuroimaging modality to comprehensively examine the structural neural correlates that may underlie dual task walking in older age. We collected spatiotemporal gait data during single and dual task walking for 37 young (18–34 years) and 23 older adults (66–86 years). We also collected T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRI scans to determine how brain structure differs in older age and relates to dual task walking. We addressed two aims: (1) to characterize age differences in brain structure across a range of metrics including volumetric, surface, and white matter microstructure; and (2) to test for age group differences in the relationship between brain structure and the dual task cost (DTcost) of gait speed and variability. Key findings included widespread brain atrophy for the older adults, with the most pronounced age differences in brain regions related to sensorimotor processing. We also found multiple associations between regional brain atrophy and greater DTcost of gait speed and variability for the older adults. The older adults showed a relationship of both thinner temporal cortex and shallower sulcal depth in the frontal, sensorimotor, and parietal cortices with greater DTcost of gait. Additionally, the older adults showed a relationship of ventricular volume and superior longitudinal fasciculus free-water corrected axial and radial diffusivity with greater DTcost of gait. These relationships were not present for the young adults. Stepwise multiple regression found sulcal depth in the left precentral gyrus, axial diffusivity in the superior longitudinal fasciculus, and sex to best predict DTcost of gait speed, and cortical thickness in the superior temporal gyrus to best predict DTcost of gait variability for older adults. These results contribute to scientific understanding of how individual variations in brain structure are associated with mobility function in aging. This has implications for uncovering mechanisms of brain aging and for identifying target regions for mobility interventions for aging populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T08:28:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c121a90190341ab9fb67f5bd5f78178 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T08:28:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c121a90190341ab9fb67f5bd5f781782022-12-21T23:53:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652022-03-011410.3389/fnagi.2022.809281809281Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older AdultsKathleen E. Hupfeld0Justin M. Geraghty1Heather R. McGregor2C. J. Hass3Ofer Pasternak4Rachael D. Seidler5Rachael D. Seidler6Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesDepartment of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesDepartment of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesDepartment of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesDepartments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesUniversity of Florida Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, Gainesville, FL, United StatesAlmost 25% of all older adults experience difficulty walking. Mobility difficulties for older adults are more pronounced when they perform a simultaneous cognitive task while walking (i.e., dual task walking). Although it is known that aging results in widespread brain atrophy, few studies have integrated across more than one neuroimaging modality to comprehensively examine the structural neural correlates that may underlie dual task walking in older age. We collected spatiotemporal gait data during single and dual task walking for 37 young (18–34 years) and 23 older adults (66–86 years). We also collected T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRI scans to determine how brain structure differs in older age and relates to dual task walking. We addressed two aims: (1) to characterize age differences in brain structure across a range of metrics including volumetric, surface, and white matter microstructure; and (2) to test for age group differences in the relationship between brain structure and the dual task cost (DTcost) of gait speed and variability. Key findings included widespread brain atrophy for the older adults, with the most pronounced age differences in brain regions related to sensorimotor processing. We also found multiple associations between regional brain atrophy and greater DTcost of gait speed and variability for the older adults. The older adults showed a relationship of both thinner temporal cortex and shallower sulcal depth in the frontal, sensorimotor, and parietal cortices with greater DTcost of gait. Additionally, the older adults showed a relationship of ventricular volume and superior longitudinal fasciculus free-water corrected axial and radial diffusivity with greater DTcost of gait. These relationships were not present for the young adults. Stepwise multiple regression found sulcal depth in the left precentral gyrus, axial diffusivity in the superior longitudinal fasciculus, and sex to best predict DTcost of gait speed, and cortical thickness in the superior temporal gyrus to best predict DTcost of gait variability for older adults. These results contribute to scientific understanding of how individual variations in brain structure are associated with mobility function in aging. This has implications for uncovering mechanisms of brain aging and for identifying target regions for mobility interventions for aging populations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.809281/fullagingdual task walkingdual task cost (DTcost)gray matter volumecortical thicknesssulcal depth |
| spellingShingle | Kathleen E. Hupfeld Justin M. Geraghty Heather R. McGregor C. J. Hass Ofer Pasternak Rachael D. Seidler Rachael D. Seidler Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience aging dual task walking dual task cost (DTcost) gray matter volume cortical thickness sulcal depth |
| title | Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults |
| title_full | Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults |
| title_fullStr | Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults |
| title_short | Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults |
| title_sort | differential relationships between brain structure and dual task walking in young and older adults |
| topic | aging dual task walking dual task cost (DTcost) gray matter volume cortical thickness sulcal depth |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.809281/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathleenehupfeld differentialrelationshipsbetweenbrainstructureanddualtaskwalkinginyoungandolderadults AT justinmgeraghty differentialrelationshipsbetweenbrainstructureanddualtaskwalkinginyoungandolderadults AT heatherrmcgregor differentialrelationshipsbetweenbrainstructureanddualtaskwalkinginyoungandolderadults AT cjhass differentialrelationshipsbetweenbrainstructureanddualtaskwalkinginyoungandolderadults AT oferpasternak differentialrelationshipsbetweenbrainstructureanddualtaskwalkinginyoungandolderadults AT rachaeldseidler differentialrelationshipsbetweenbrainstructureanddualtaskwalkinginyoungandolderadults AT rachaeldseidler differentialrelationshipsbetweenbrainstructureanddualtaskwalkinginyoungandolderadults |