Modulaties van motorische netwerkconnectiviteit in het verouderende brein en hun effect op motorische performantie.

Normal aging is associated with a decline in motor functions, impacting quality of life and the ability to live independently. These functional changes are partly caused by age-related changes in the brain. However, it remains unclear how age-related changes in brain structure and connectivity affect motor performance. Here, we study how age-related alterations in structural brain interactions may account for deficits in motor behavior. We focus on the interaction between dedicated brain areas constituting the motor network involved in movement control. These interactions will be investigated within as well as across both hemispheres of the brain. This research project requires deployment of a combination of noninvasive brain stimulation and imaging techniques. We aim at contributing to the fundamental motor neuroscience of aging and to a body of knowledge that may inspire future training programs that alleviate or counteract functional decline with advancing age.