Aging, inhibition and motor learning: a multimodal imaging approach for the study of neurochemistry and brain network interactions

 The capacity to learn new motor skills declines with aging, affecting the quality of life and functional independence in older adults. These declines are partly caused by age-related changes in the brain. However, it remains unclear how age-related changes in the brain’s neurochemical composition and alterations in the functional interactions between brain regions account for the degraded motor learning abilities in older adults. Here, I use a complementary multimodal approach, consisting of medical imaging and noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, to study the neural processes underlying motor learning deficits in aging. The objectives are threefold. First, I will identify the effect of age on: (1) the short-term modulations in the brain’s neurochemistry during learning a motor task, and (2) the learning-related changes in the interactions between different brain networks. Second, I will investigate whether neurophysiological metrics of neurotransmitter receptor activity during rest can predict motor learning gain in young and in particular older adults. Third, I will unravel the interrelations between these measures of brain connectivity and neurochemistry. Altogether, this project provides a unique window into a better understanding of the neuroplastic capacity in older adults and hence can ultimately inspire the design of effective, individualized intervention strategies to preserve/enhance functional independence in older adults