- Procedural learning is preserved in healthy older adults; both age groups exhibited significant task learning during fMRI assessment.
- Behavioural retention was enhanced in older adults compared with younger adults, including after normalising reaction time gains to individual RT.
- fMRI showed greater left sensorimotor cortex recruitment in older participants; left premotor cortex activity during learning predicted retention across both groups.
Brain Behav. 2026 Oct;16(10):e71845. doi: 10.1002/brb3.71845.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To investigate the neurobiological basis of procedural learning and retention of motor memories in aging.
METHOD: We used a modified serial reaction time (SRT) task with feedback in two age groups: young (n = 18, 24.9 ± 3.9 years, range: 18-32 years) and older (n = 19, 63.5 ± 5.1 years, range: 54-73 years) healthy participants. We assessed procedural learning while participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, Day 1). On the following day, we assessed retention behaviorally outside the scanner.
FINDING: Both groups showed significant procedural learning (p < 0.001) and retention (p < 0.05). Notably, retention was enhanced in older compared to younger adults (p < 0.01), even after normalizing the reaction time (RT) gains to individual RT (p < 0.05). Functional imaging revealed more robust recruitment of the left sensorimotor cortex (SM1) during procedural learning in older participants. Besides, left premotor cortex activity during procedural learning predicted retention in both age groups.
CONCLUSION: Our data show that procedural learning was preserved in healthy older adults. At the same time, retention was even enhanced in healthy older adults. These processes were associated with activation changes in the contralateral sensorimotor and premotor cortices.
PMID:42886636 | DOI:10.1002/brb3.71845
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