2015 年 53 巻 Supplement 号 p. S103_02
In this review, we focus on the role of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to seek solutions for cognitive problems in the aging brain. fMRI enables not only visualization of the brain activities but also evaluation of neural integrity status under various physiological and pathological conditions. It is assumed that age-related hyperactivation represents potential cognitive decline leading to neural compensation. The observation that this hyperactivity was decreased after cognitive rehabilitation in older adults is compatible with this hypothesis, suggesting recovery of neural efficiency. fMRI is also applied to evaluate the risk of falls, which is a serious problem for older adults. Significant associations between brain activation with change in the risk for falls have been pointed out. Advances in fMRI, especially real-time fMRI for biofeedback and brain-computer interface, will further reveal neurophysiological basis of behavioral changes in older adults and contribute to their risk assessment. Neuroimaging is nowadyas an important tool of neuroengineering not only for diagnosis but also for cognitive intervention in geriatrics and gerontology.
