Gray matter volume in the right angular gyrus is associated with differential patterns of multisensory integration with aging

Rebecca J. Hirst, Robert Whelan, Rory Boyle, Annalisa Setti, Silvin Knight, John O'Connor, Wilby Williamson, Jason McMorrow, Andrew J. Fagan, James F. Meaney, Rose Anne Kenny, Céline De Looze, Fiona N. Newell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Multisensory perception might provide an important marker of brain function in aging. However, the cortical structures supporting multisensory perception in aging are poorly understood. In this study, we compared regional gray matter volume in a group of middle-aged (n = 101; 49–64 years) and older (n = 116; 71–87 years) adults from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging using voxel-based morphometry. Participants completed a measure of multisensory integration, the sound-induced flash illusion, and were grouped as per their illusion susceptibility. A significant interaction was observed in the right angular gyrus; in the middle-aged group, larger gray matter volume corresponded to stronger illusion perception while in older adults larger gray matter corresponded to less illusion susceptibility. This interaction remained significant even when controlling for a range of demographic, sensory, cognitive, and health variables. These findings show that multisensory integration is associated with specific structural differences in the aging brain and highlight the angular gyrus as a possible “cross-modal hub” associated with age-related change in multisensory perception.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)83-90
Number of pages8
JournalNeurobiology of Aging
Volume100
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2021

Keywords

  • Aging
  • Audio-visual
  • Gray matter volume
  • Multisensory
  • Sound-Induced Flash illusion
  • Voxel-based morphometry

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Aging
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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