1). With the emergence of cognitive neuroscience, researchers have been able to apply non-invasive and high spatial resolution techniques, such as
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to explore brain structure and cognition. While the brain structure changes that appear with aged-related cognitive decline are still under debate, meta-analysis conducted by Demakis31 has indicated an association between frontal lobe size and the executive function aspects of cognition. Furthermore, several brain regions, Fulvestrant chemical structure including the hippocampus32 and cerebral cortex33 have displayed decay in association with decreased cognitive performance, which implies that
these brain regions play an essential role in cognitive aging. An alternative approach for examining the brain and cognition is through investigation of brain activation, such as with single functional MRI (fMRI) and event-related potential (ERP) techniques. Typically, studies using these approaches detect brain activation during administration of a cognitive selleck inhibitor task. These approaches have reliably demonstrated differences in brain activity during multiple cognitive functions34 in older and younger adults. Generally speaking, older adults demonstrate two distinct neural activations, which has resulted in several interpretations. Specifically, aged-related deceased brain activity is typically thought to represent a cognitive deficit in older adults, whereas aged-related increased brain activity has been interpreted as either compensatory recruitment or CGK 733 more diffuse recruitment of neural resources for a given task (dedifferentiation) in an older population.35 Obviously, neuroimaging studies provide an in-depth approach to examining the underlying mechanism between Tai Ji Quan and cognition via the role of brain function. The
level of cardiovascular fitness has been linked to brain structure. Using an MRI technique, a pioneering study by Colcombe et al.36 observed that older adults with a higher fitness level displayed greater mass in prefrontal, superior parietal, and temporal cortices as well as greater anterior tracts compared to their counterparts. A similar positive association between cardiovascular fitness and these and other brain regions37 and 38 (e.g., hippocampus7 and 8) has also been observed. A positive influence of cardiovascular fitness on the medial temporal and parietal cortices, a brain region related to Alzheimer’s disease, has also been observed, suggesting that the beneficial effects of PA on cognition could be extended to adults with dementia.