Syntactic Processing in the Aging Brain: Neural Reorganization, Cognitive Scaffolding, and Implications for Language Resilience

On the basis of these findings, we propose the Graded Compensation and Cognitive Scaffolding (GCCS) model which posits that language resilience is maintained through a graded and condition-dependent adaptation of neural resources. This study critically evaluates the current literature and highlights the need for more methodologically rigorous studies to better understand the effects of aging on syntactic processing and its neural basis. Given the limited number of eligible studies, the findings of this review should be interpreted with caution. More well-powered, longitudinal research is needed to uncover the trajectory of neural reorganization during syntactic processing in older adults.