The aging brain in action: towards a multi-modal imaging approach of motor control.

The aging population poses unprecedented challenges for society. Here, we will investigate age-related changes in the brain in relation to movement control. The basic premise is that age-related decreases in motor performance are associated with functional and structural changes in the brain. To achieve this goal, we will use a complementary multimodal imaging approach consisting of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and transcranial magnetic stimulation techniques (TMS). We will investigate bimanual movement control, allowing rich variations in complexity to assess the full motor repertoire. Our objectives are threefold. First, we will determine with fMRI whether and when alterations in brain activation occur across the  ifespan, whether this interacts with task difficulty and whether this is constrained by structural brain features (grey and white matter) (Phase 1). Second, we will determine with TMS whether changes in inhibitory control and interhemispheric interactions are responsible for changes in brain function and motor performance (Phase 2). Third, we will assess age-related changes in oscillatory neuronal activity, using EEG as a complement to fMRI investigations (Phase 3). This project will reveal new insights into age-related brain-behavior interactions and will inspire the design of new intervention programs aimed at increasing functional independence and a healthy life in elderly, an endeavor of high socio-economic relevance.