The effects of typical ageing on cognitive control: recent advances and future directions

Dexter, Melissa; Ossmy, Ori · 2023 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1231410

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Summary

This mini-review examines how typical ageing affects cognitive control, challenging traditional views of uniform decline by highlighting heterogeneity, domain-specific changes, and neural compensation. The authors argue that understanding these mechanisms is critical for supporting the independence and quality of life of the growing older adult population. Traditional research posited a global decline in cognitive control driven by slowing processing speed and frontal lobe deterioration, known as the frontal lobe hypothesis. This perspective suggested that age-related structural and functional changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), along with decreased dopamine modulation, led to broad deficits in working memory, attention, and inhibitory control. However, recent advances contradict this univariate view. The review highlights significant heterogeneity in ageing data, noting that declines are domain-specific rather than global. For instance, while inhibitory control and attention shifting often decline, crystallized cognitive abilities may remain stable or improve. Furthermore, performance variability depends heavily on task type; common measures like the Stroop task often fail to show reliable age-related deficits, whereas stop-signal tasks do. Individual differences are also pronounced, with socioeconomic status, education, and lifestyle factors serving as protective buffers against cognitive decline. Neurally, the review moves beyond the PFC-centric model to include broader network dynamics. Ageing is associated with reduced specialization of neural networks, characterized by decreased within-network connectivity and increased between-network activity, particularly in the default network (DN). Older adults show reduced suppression of the DN during demanding tasks, which correlates with poorer performance. However, the brain exhibits plasticity through compensatory mechanisms. Models such as the exploration-selection-refinement (ESR) model and the compensation-related utilization of neural circuits (CRUNCH) hypothesis explain how older adults maintain performance through neural reorganization. This includes increased bilateral activation in frontal regions, recruitment of additional areas like the parietal lobule and cerebellum, and greater reliance on prior knowledge and existing cognitive strategies to offset neural losses. The authors conclude that cognitive control ageing is a complex, multidimensional process involving both decline and adaptive compensation. They propose future research should adopt multivariate approaches to capture heterogeneity, investigate the cascading effects of life experiences on neural plasticity through longitudinal designs, and examine structural invariance. By integrating behavioral evidence with advanced neuroimaging, researchers can better identify factors that promote healthy ageing and develop targeted interventions to preserve cognitive function.

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• cognitive aging