AGING CAUSES STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL REORGANIZATION OF THE HUMAN SPINAL CORD

Motivation: Most studies on age-related changes in sensorimotor functions have focused on the brain, largely overlooking the spinal cord's role. Goal(s): This study aims to characterize non-pathological age-related structural and functional changes of the cervical spinal cord (C1 to C7) in vivo in humans. Approach: We acquired simultaneous cerebrospinal fMRI data and spinal cord T2w data in 67 healthy participants from 20 to 80 years old. Results: We found significant reductions in gray-matter cross-sectional areas. Functional connectivity analyses revealed age-related reorganization in spinal cord networks, with increased dorso-ventral connectivity accompanied by decreased ventral connectivity. Impact: This study provides the first evidence of age-related functional and structural changes in the spinal cord, offering insights into sensorimotor integration changes across the lifespan and underscoring the importance of distinguishing between healthy aging and disease effects in clinical research.