Global functional connectivity of cognitive control networks predicts task-switching performance in older adults

IF 3.2 2区心理学 Q1 BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Cortex Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-14 DOI:10.1016/j.cortex.2026.01.002

Bryan Madero , Matthew Sodoma , Chris Oehler , Vincent A. Magnotta , Jeffrey D. Long , Eliot Hazeltine , Michelle W. Voss

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Older adults have difficulty switching between competing goals with increasing age due to declines in executive function (EF) and changes in brain network connectivity, including the Cognitive Control Network (CCN). Prior research shows that greater global functional connectivity (GFC) in the CCN supports cognitive flexibility. However, it is unclear whether CCN GFC is associated with task-switching in older adults. Task-switching performance relies on both switching and working memory. Mixing cost reflects the ability to maintain and coordinate multiple task rules in working memory and is sensitive to age-related declines in EF, whereas switching cost is more closely linked to age-related general slowing in processing speed. This study investigates how CCN GFC relates to task-switching performance in older adults using two task versions. Participants aged 55–80 years old performed the Separate and Overlap versions for behavioral analyses (n = 118). Six 8-min resting-state fMRI sessions were collected over two days for brain behavior analyses (n = 112). Whole grey-matter GFC was calculated, followed by average GFC extraction from the CCN, Default Mode Network (DMN), and Somatomotor Network (SMN). Results showed that older adults were slower and less accurate in the Overlap version. Greater CCN, DMN, and SMN GFC were associated with smaller mixing costs in the Overlap version. SMN GFC was linked to larger mixing costs and smaller switching costs in the Separate version. Our findings suggest that greater integration of the CCN, DMN, and SMN, as measured by GFC, is associated with better task-switch performance under increasing working memory demands.

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认知控制网络的整体功能连通性预测老年人的任务转换表现

随着年龄的增长，老年人由于执行功能（EF）的下降和包括认知控制网络（CCN）在内的大脑网络连通性的变化，在竞争性目标之间切换困难。先前的研究表明，CCN中更大的全球功能连接（GFC）支持认知灵活性。然而，目前尚不清楚CCN GFC是否与老年人的任务转换有关。任务切换性能依赖于切换和工作记忆。混合成本反映了工作记忆中维持和协调多个任务规则的能力，并且对与年龄相关的EF下降很敏感，而转换成本与与年龄相关的加工速度普遍减慢更密切相关。本研究利用两种不同的任务版本，探讨了CCN GFC与老年人任务转换表现的关系。年龄在55-80岁之间的参与者进行了分离和重叠版本的行为分析（n = 118）。在两天内收集6次8分钟静息状态fMRI会话用于脑行为分析（n = 112）。计算整个灰质GFC，然后从CCN、Default Mode Network （DMN）和Somatomotor Network （SMN）中提取平均GFC。结果显示，老年人在重叠版本中速度较慢，准确性较低。在重叠版本中，较大的CCN、DMN和SMN GFC与较小的混合成本相关。在单独的版本中，SMN GFC与较大的混合成本和较小的转换成本相关联。我们的研究结果表明，GFC测量的CCN、DMN和SMN的整合程度越高，在工作记忆需求增加的情况下，任务切换性能越好。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Cortex 医学-行为科学

CiteScore

7.00

自引率

5.60%

发文量

250

审稿时长

74 days

期刊介绍： CORTEX is an international journal devoted to the study of cognition and of the relationship between the nervous system and mental processes, particularly as these are reflected in the behaviour of patients with acquired brain lesions, normal volunteers, children with typical and atypical development, and in the activation of brain regions and systems as recorded by functional neuroimaging techniques. It was founded in 1964 by Ennio De Renzi.