Neural connectivity and balance control in aging: Insights from directed cortical networks during sensory conflict

作者：Guozheng Wang, Yi Yang, Xiaoxia Liu, Anke Hua, Xin Luo, Yiming Cai, Yanhua Song, Jian Wang, Jun Liu · 发表于：NeuroImage · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121218 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Neural dynamics and brain function、Visual perception and processing mechanisms、Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Balance control is crucial for stability during daily activities, relying on the integration of sensory inputs from the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems. Aging impairs the efficiency of these systems, leading to an increased risk of falls; however, the neural mechanisms underlying this decline, particularly under sensory conflict, are not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of aging on neural connectivity and sensory integration during balance tasks. Ninety-six participants (47 older adults and 49 young adults) were subjected to balance perturbation tasks under sensory-congruent and sensory-conflict conditions using a virtual reality headset and rotating platform. Behavioral measures, including postural sway and perceptual accuracy, were recorded. Electroencephalography (EEG) data were analyzed using generalized partial directed coherence (GPDC) to assess the directed functional connectivity and network efficiency. Older adults exhibited significantly greater postural sway, reduced perceptual accuracy, and a diminished ability to detect sensory conflicts than young adults, particularly under conflict conditions. As demonstrated by connectivity analysis, young adults showed adaptive shifts in connectivity from the visual to somatosensory regions during sensory conflict. In contrast, older adults demonstrated a less adaptable mode of connectivity. At the same time, global efficiency and clustering coefficients of young adults were higher, suggesti...