TIRR Memorial Hermann
ACRM Cognitive
Rehabilitation Training Course
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Symposium
Arts & Neuroscience
Brain Injury
Cancer Rehabilitation
Clinical Practice (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, knowledge translation/EBP, implementation science, program development)
Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine
Cross-Cutting
Geriatric Rehabilitation
Lifestyle Medicine
Neurodegenerative Disease (e.g. MS, Parkinson's disease)
Pain Rehabilitation
Spinal Cord Injury
Stroke
Technology (e.g. robotics, assistive technology, mHealth)
Joe R. Nocera, PhD
Health Science Specialist/Assistant Professor
Atlanta VA/Emory University
Decatur, Georgia
Keith M. McGregor, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology
Atlanta VAMC/Emory University
Decatur, Georgia
Lisa C. Krishnamurthy, PhD
Research Scientist
Atlanta VA/Georgia State University
Decatur, Georgia
Bruce Crosson, PhD
Professor, Department of Neurology
Emory University
Decatur, Georgia
Insight into mechanisms of aging-related functional decline will become increasingly important to optimize rehabilitation, preserve quality of life, and reduce the impact of aging-related diseases. Our lab and others have repeatedly demonstrated that during functional tasks (cognitive and motor), older adults show increased bilateral functional MRI (fMRI) signal in tasks that typically demonstrate a unilateral pattern of activation in younger adults. However, the behavioral outcomes associated with this alteration of activity remain a topic of debate. In this symposium we present data highlighting aging-related changes in cortical laterality using examples from both language (Dr. Crosson) and upper extremity motor function (Dr. McGregor) paradigms while presenting the associated alteration in behavioral function. We will then present data demonstrating that improved cardiovascular fitness can mitigate changes in cortical activation and improve cortical perfusion and function in aged adults (Dr. Nocera). Our first three presentations will focus on the theme that aging-related and/or exercise induced changes in brain function have robust implications for aging-related diseases. The final presentation will highlight exciting advances in brain imaging techniques (Dr. Krishnamurthy) that are providing mechanistic insight into age-related cortical changes and their application to rehabilitation of pathology.