Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treating the aging brain: cortical reorganization and behavior

  • Conference paper
Re-Engineering of the Damaged Brain and Spinal Cord

Part of the book series: Acta Neurochirurgica Supplementum ((NEUROCHIRURGICA,volume 93))

Summary

Aging comprises many physiological modifications, including structural and metabolic changes, yet little is known about how aging affects the way in which neurons process and integrate sensory information from the environments. Here the framework of “modified use” as a determinant of cortical reorganization was applied for the investigation of age-related modifications of cortical maps and processing, and of associated changes of behavior. The age-related changes of walking behavior in rats were contrasted with the parallel changes of sensorimotor processing developing at the cortical level. Based on the regional specificity of these changes attempts are made to separate age-related changes arising as a consequence of degeneration from a result of adaptable processes following reduced use at high age. Finally, findings from long-term treatment with the Ca2+-blocker nimodipine, or from housing animals under enriched environmental conditions to ameliorate aging effects were described. Combined, these results show the general treatability of age-related changes. The data imply that age-related changes can be reversed by short periods of training and stimulation schedules even if they have developed. Clearly, the development of specific measures to delay aging processes and to rehabilitate aged brains depends on future progress in understanding mechanisms and effects of aging.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Abott A (2004) Ageing: growing old gracefully. Nature 428: 116–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Brody HD (1955) Organization of the cerebral cortex. III. A study of aging in the human cerebral cortex. J Comp Neurol 1023: 511–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Churs L, Spengler F, Jürgens M, Dinse HR (1996) Environmental enrichment counteracts decline of sensorimotor performance and deterioration of cortical organization in aged rats. Soc Neurosci Abstr 22: 102

    Google Scholar 

  4. Coq JO, Xerri C (2001) Sensorimotor experience modulates age-dependent alterations of the forepaw representation in the rat primary somatosensory cortex. Neurosci 104: 705–715

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dinse HR (2001) Modified action as a determinant of adult and age-related sensorimotor integration: where does it begin? Behav Brain Sci 24: 885

    Google Scholar 

  6. Dinse HR, Merzenich MM (2002) Adaptations in the somatosensory system. In: Fahle M, Poggio T (eds) Perceptual Learning. MIT Press, pp 19–42

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dinse HR, Reinke H, Schulz MH, Jürgens M, Zepka R (2001) Altered walking behavior alters cortical motor representations — an animal study. 6th Congress of the European College of Sport Science, IPS42-COL2011

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dinse HR, Ragert P, Pleger B, Schwenkreis P, Tegenthoff M (2003) Pharmacological modulation of perceptual learning and associated cortical reorganization. Science 301: 91–94

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Dinse HR, Kleibel N, Kalisch T, Ragert P, Tegenthoff M (submitted) Restoring age-related impairment of human tactile acuity

    Google Scholar 

  10. Elward K, Larson EB (1992) Benefits of exercise for older adults. A review of existing evidence and current recommendations for the general population. Clin Geriatr Med 8: 35–50

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Flood DG, Coleman PD (1988) Neuron numbers and sizes in aging brain: comparisons of human, monkey, and rodent data. Neurobiol Aging 9: 453–463

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gallagher M, Rapp PR (1997) The use of animal models to study the effects of aging on cognition. Annu Rev Psychol 48: 339–370

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gazzaley AH, Siegel SJ, Kordower JH, Mufson EJ, Morrison JH (1996) Circuit-specific alterations of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1 in the dentate gyrus of aged monkeys. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93: 3121–3125

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Godde B, Stauffenberg B, Spengler F, Dinse HR (2000) Tactile coactivation induced changes in spatial discrimination performance. J Neurosci 20: 1597–1604

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Godde B, Berkefeld T, David-Jürgens M, Dinse HR (2002) Age-related changes in primary somatosensory cortex of rats: evidence for parallel degenerative and plastic-adaptive processes. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 26: 743–752

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Harman D, Piette LH (1966) Free radical theory of aging: free radical reactions in serum. J Gerontol 21: 560–565

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hayflick L (1968) Human cells and aging. Sci Am 218: 32–37

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Johansson BB (2000) Brain plasticity and stroke rehabilitation. The Willis lecture. Stroke 31: 223–230

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Jürgens M, Dinse HR (1995) Spatial and temporal integration properties of cortical somatosensory neurons in aged rats. Soc Neurosci Abstr 21: 197

    Google Scholar 

  20. Jürgens M, Dinse HR (1997) Differential effects of the Ca2+-influxblocker nimodipine on receptive field properties and response latencies of somatosensory cortical neurons in aged rats. Institut für Neuroinformatik, Ruhr-University Bochum, Internal Report 96-10: 1–23

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kleibel N, Kalisch T, Ragert P, Böhmer G, Tegenthoff M, Dinse HR (2003) Tactile discrimination learning in seniors: evidence for reversibility of age-related changes. Soc Neurosci Abstr 29: 172.14

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kramer AF, Hahn S, Cohen NJ et al (1999) Ageing, fitness and neurocognitive function. Nature 400: 418–419

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Li SC, Dinse HR (2002) Aging of the brain, sensorimotor, and cognitive processes. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 26: 729–732

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Linderberger U, Baltes PB (1992) Intellectual aging. In: Encyclopedia of intelligence, Sternberg RJ et al (eds) Macmillan, New York

    Google Scholar 

  25. Martin GM (2001) Frontiers of aging. Editorial. Science 294: 13

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Morrison JH, Hof PR (1997) Life and death of neurons in the aging brain. Science 278: 412–419

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Orgel LE (1963) The maintenance of the accuracy of protein systhesis and its relevance to aging. Proc Nat Acad Sci 49: 517–521

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Pearl R (1924) Studies in human biology. Williams and Williams, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  29. Perls TT (1995) The oldest old. Sci Am 272: 70–75

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Peters A, Morrison JH, Rosene DL, Hyman BT (1998) Feature article: are neurons lost from the primate cerebral cortex during normal aging? Cereb Cortex 8: 295–300

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Peters A, Sethares C, Moss MB (1998) The effects of aging on layer 1 in area 46 of prefrontal cortex in the rhesus monkey. Cereb Cortex 8: 671–684

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Pleger B, Dinse HR, Ragert P, Schwenkreis P, Malin JP, Tegenthoff M (2001) Shifts in cortical representations predict human discrimination improvement. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98: 12255–12260

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Rapp PR, Amaral DG (1992) Individual differences in the cognitive and neurobiological consequences of normal aging. Trends Neurosci 15: 340–345

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Rapp PR, Gallagher M (1996) Preserved neuron number in the hippocampus of aged rats with spatial learning deficits. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93: 9926–9930

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Rosenzweig MR, Bennett EL (1996) Psychobiology of plasticity: effects of training and experience on brain and behavior. Behav Brain Res 78: 57–65

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Rubner M (1908) Das Problem der Lebensdauer und seine Beziehung zu Wachstum und Ernährung. Oldenbourg, München

    Google Scholar 

  37. Saito S, Kobayashi S, Ohashi Y, Igarashi M, Komiya Y, Ando S (1994) Decreased synaptic density in aged brains and its prevention by rearing under enriched environment as revealed by synaptophysin contents. J Neurosci Res 39: 57–62

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Schuurman T, Klein H, Beneke M, Traber J (1987) Nimodipine and motor deficits in the aged rat. Neurosci Res Comm 1: 9–15

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Smith TD, Adams MM, Gallagher M, Morrison JH, Rapp PR (2000) Circuit-specific alterations in hippocampal synaptophysin immunoreactivity predict spatial learning impairment in aged rats. J Neurosci 20: 6587–6593

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Sohal RS, Weindruch R (1996) Oxidative stress, caloric restriction, and aging. Science 273: 59–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Spengler F, Godde B, Dinse HR (1995) Effects of aging on topographic organization of somatosensory cortex. NeuroReport 6: 469–473

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Stensaas SS, Eddington DK, Dobelle WH (1974) The topography and variability of the primary visual cortex in man. J Neurosurg 40: 747–755

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Stevens JC (1992) Aging and spatial acuity of touch. J Gerontol 47: 35–40

    Google Scholar 

  44. Verzar F (1963) The aging of collagen. Sci Am 208: 104

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Walford RL (1967) The role of autoimmune phenomena in the ageing process. Symp Soc Exp Biol 21: 351–373

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Walford RL (1985) The extension of maximum life span. Clin Geriatr Med 1: 29–35

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Wanagat J, Allison DB, Weindruch R (1999) Caloric intake and aging: mechanisms in rodents and a study in nonhuman primates. Toxicol Sci 52: 35–40

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Wohlert AB (1996) Tactile perception of spatial stimuli on the lip surface by young and older adults. J Speech Hear Res 39: 1191–1198

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Woodward KL (1993) The relationship between skin compliance, age, gender, and tactile discriminative thresholds in humans. Somatosens Motor Res 10: 63–67

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute Neuroinformatics, Theoretical Biology, Ruhr University, ND04, 44780, Bochum, Germany

    H. R. Dinse

Authors
  1. H. R. Dinse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Faculty, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

    Klaus R. H. von Wild (Professor of Neurorehabilitation and Re-Engineering of Damaged Brain and Spinal Cord Lesions) (Professor of Neurorehabilitation and Re-Engineering of Damaged Brain and Spinal Cord Lesions)

  2. International Neuroscience Institute INI, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany

    Klaus R. H. von Wild (Professor of Neurorehabilitation and Re-Engineering of Damaged Brain and Spinal Cord Lesions) (Professor of Neurorehabilitation and Re-Engineering of Damaged Brain and Spinal Cord Lesions)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2005 Springer-Verlag

About this paper

Cite this paper

Dinse, H.R. (2005). Treating the aging brain: cortical reorganization and behavior. In: von Wild, K.R.H. (eds) Re-Engineering of the Damaged Brain and Spinal Cord. Acta Neurochirurgica Supplementum, vol 93. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-211-27577-0_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-211-27577-0_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-24150-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-27577-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation