White matter in the older brain is more plastic than in the younger brain

Yuko Yotsumoto, Li-Hung Chang, Rui Ni, Russell Pierce, George J. Andersen, Takeo Watanabe and Yuka Sasaki ()
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Yuko Yotsumoto: The University of Tokyo
Li-Hung Chang: Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University
Rui Ni: University of California Riverside
Russell Pierce: University of California Riverside
George J. Andersen: University of California Riverside
Takeo Watanabe: Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University
Yuka Sasaki: Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Visual perceptual learning (VPL) with younger subjects is associated with changes in functional activation of the early visual cortex. Although overall brain properties decline with age, it is unclear whether these declines are associated with visual perceptual learning. Here we use diffusion tensor imaging to test whether changes in white matter are involved in VPL for older adults. After training on a texture discrimination task for three daily sessions, both older and younger subjects show performance improvements. While the older subjects show significant changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the white matter beneath the early visual cortex after training, no significant change in FA is observed for younger subjects. These results suggest that the mechanism for VPL in older individuals is considerably different from that in younger individuals and that VPL of older individuals involves reorganization of white matter.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6504

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