Age-related source-level differences in brain activity during motor execution

This investigation aimed to expand upon prior knowledge concerning age-related disparities in the motor initiation phase. We operationalized a robust pipeline for identifying source activity, leveraging EEG sensor-level data. Our analytical framework involved a comparative assessment of source activity in both elderly and young adults across distinct laterality aspects of the motor task. Subsequently, we rendered these findings in precise anatomical coordinates and elucidated the underpinnings of the observed disparities. Remarkably, these disparities remained congruent with the contemporary body of knowledge within this domain. Nevertheless, our meticulous application of cluster-based statistical testing yielded no statistically significant distinctions when juxtaposing subjects from varying age groups, hand laterality classifications, and frequency range considerations. Furthermore, we undertook a meticulous examination of the maximal points within clusters demonstrating the most pronounced significance within the elderly and young adult cohorts during tasks involving the right hand. This refined approach unearthed a noteworthy correlation between source power within the theta frequency range and the subjects’ age, corroborating existing reference studies and thereby shedding newfound light upon the latent neural mechanisms at play.