Executive Network Activation is Linked to Walking Speed in Older Adults: Functional MRI and TCD Ultrasound Evidence From the MOBILIZE Boston Study

Background: Changes in cerebral blood flow velocity (CBF) in response to a cognitive task (task-related ΔCBF) have been shown by Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) to be reduced in slow walkers. However, it is unknown whether reduced task-related ΔCBF is associated with reduced neural activity in specific brain regions, as measured by blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Methods: We assessed the regional changes in neural activity associated with reduced middle cerebral artery (MCA) task-related ΔCBF to an executive task and slow walking speed in 67 community-dwelling older adults from the MOBILIZE Boston Study. Participants underwent walking assessments and TCD ultrasonography measures of MCA ΔCBF during the n-back task of executive function. A subset of participants (n = 27) completed the same task during fMRI. Individual BOLD activation maps for the n-back task were correlated with TCD measures and network-level averages were associated with TCD and preferred walking speed.

Results: Participants with diminished task-related ΔCBF walked more slowly (β = .39, p = .001). fMRI revealed significant associations between task-related ΔCBF and regional BOLD activation in several brain regions/networks supplied by the MCA. Of these regions and networks, those within the executive network were most strongly associated with walking speed (β = .36, p = .01).

Conclusions: Task-related ΔCBF during an executive function task is related to activation in several neural networks and impairment in the ability to recruit the executive network in particular is associated with slow walking speed in older adults.