Stim-Plast-O · Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on motor learning-related neuroplasticity in healthy older adults
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-04-01 → 2018-05-01
- EU contribution
- €160,800
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on motor learning-related neuroplasticity in healthy older adults
Research on the aging brain and its effect on behaviour have considerably increased during the past decade, significantly boosted by the emergence of brain imaging technologies. Although imaging research on cognitive functioning and aging has been abundant, less is known about neural changes in relation to motor functioning. As life expectancy continues to increase and the ability to learn and maintain motor functions is critical for everyday activities, investigations into the interaction between the aging brain and motor behaviour are of the utmost importance and are consistent with the European Commission's initiative to increase the healthy lifespan by 2 years prior to 2020. Aging has traditionally been associated with a multitude of movement-related impairments, including decreased speed, increased movement variability, impaired coordination as well as decreased postural stability. There is also accumulating evidence over the last several years that older adults exhibit deficits in the neuroplastic processes underlying the learning, consolidation and retention of motor skills. One potential promising avenue to boost motor learning-related neuroplasticity in older adults is non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in particular. However, remarkably little is known with respect to the neural correlates of such interventions. Accordingly, this research programme had two overarching objectives: 1) to examine the neural processes - via multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisition sequences and analytic techniques - underlying age-related deficits in motor behaviour; and, 2) to investigate the effects of NIBS on the neuroplasticity underlying motor learning and subsequent memory consolidation in healthy older adults (STIM-PLAST-O; STIMulation-induced neuroPLASTicity in Older adults).
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
A substantial impediment to healthy living in older adults is the compromised functioning of the motor system, and the neuroplastic processes underlying the learning and retention of motor skills in particular. A promising avenue to boost motor-related neuroplasticity in older adults is non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS); however, remarkably little is known with respect to the neural correlates of this intervention. Accordingly, the overarching objective of this research programme is to investigate – via multiple magnetic resonance imaging acquisition sequences and analytic techniques – the effects of NIBS on the neuroplasticity underlying motor learning in healthy older adults (STIM-PLAST-O; STIMulation-induced neuroPLASTicity in Older adults). Such an investigation is essential before NIBS-based interventions can be employed as a viable avenue to mitigate age- or pathology-related declines in motor functioning and is consistent with the European Commission’s initiative to increase the healthy lifespan of Europeans by 2 years prior to 2020. This research programme is the optimal combination of my own experience in lifespan motor behaviour and activation-based functional MRI with the long-standing brain stimulation and brain imaging expertise within the Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group at KU Leuven. Integration within this multidisciplinary team will offer an exceptional opportunity to increase my methodological skill set, including functional connectivity analytic techniques, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the analysis of structural brain characteristics as well as the implementation of NIBS. Moreover, this Marie Skłodowska Curie action will allow me to continue to develop an international network of collaborators and gain in-depth training in project and financial management, supervisory skills and grant writing that will promote my development as an independent researcher and enhance my ability to obtain a permanent position in academia.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN · LeuvenCoordinatorBelgium
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union