Ageing increases reliance on sensorimotor prediction through structural and functional differences in frontostriatal circuits

Noham Wolpe*, James Ingram, Kamen Tsvetanov, Linda Geerligs, Rogier Kievit, Richard Henson, Daniel Wolpert, Cam-CAN, David Troy, James Rowe

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

82 Citations (Scopus)
60 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The control of voluntary movement changes markedly with age. A critical component of motor control is the integration of sensory information with predictions of the consequences of action, arising from internal models of movement. This leads to sensorimotor attenuation—a reduction in the perceived intensity of sensations from self-generated compared with external actions. Here we show that sensorimotor attenuation occurs in 98% of adults in a population-based cohort (n=325; 18–88 years; the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience). Importantly, attenuation increases with age, in proportion to reduced sensory sensitivity. This effect is associated with differences in the structure and functional connectivity of the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), assessed with magnetic resonance imaging. The results suggest that ageing alters the balance between the sensorium and predictive models, mediated by the pre-SMA and its connectivity in frontostriatal circuits. This shift may contribute to the motor and cognitive changes observed with age.
Original languageEnglish
Article number13034 (2016)
Number of pages11
JournalNature Communications
Volume7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Oct 2016

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