Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University have found that the neural network responsible for speech remains as active in older adults as in younger people, reports infohub.kz.
With age, many cognitive functions such as working memory and problem-solving abilities decline. However, the study shows that the brain's language network is highly resistant to age-related changes.
The scientists conducted brain scans on two groups of participants: those aged 17 to 39 and those aged 41 to 80. The results showed that in older adults, the synchronization, level, and area of activation of the executive network (multiple demand network) decrease. In contrast, the language network's activity during listening to stories, reading sentences, and responding to rare grammar remains almost identical to that of younger respondents.
Co-authors Anne Billot and Evelina Fedorenko explain that the language network accumulates knowledge and vocabulary throughout life. Specialized brain structures appear to be more protected from aging than general-purpose executive systems.
The findings were published in the journal "Nature Communications".