The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Cortical thickness changes following spatial navigation training in adulthood and aging

Author

  • Elisabeth Wenger
  • Sabine Schaefer
  • Hannes Noack
  • Simone Kuehn
  • Johan Mårtensson
  • Hans-Jochen Heinze
  • Emrah Duezel
  • Lars Backman
  • Ulman Lindenberger
  • Martin Lövdén

Summary, in English

A widespread network involving cortical and subcortical brain structures forms the neural substrate of human spatial navigation. Most studies investigating plasticity of this network have focused on the hippocampus. Here, we investigate age differences in cortical thickness changes evoked by four months of spatial navigation training in 91 men aged 20-30 or 60-70 years. Cortical thickness was automatically measured before, immediately after, and four months after termination of training. Younger as well as older navigators evidenced large improvements in navigation performance that were partly maintained after termination of training. Importantly, training-related cortical thickening in left precuneus and paracentral lobule were observed in young navigators only. Thus, spatial navigation training appears to affect cortical brain structure of young adults, but there is reduced potential for experience-dependent cortical alterations in old age. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publishing year

2012

Language

English

Pages

3389-3397

Publication/Series

NeuroImage

Volume

59

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Psychology

Keywords

  • Spatial navigation
  • Aging
  • Cortical thickness
  • Plasticity

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1095-9572