Many cognitive functions decline with age, and brain‑imaging studies have shown reduced activity in the multiple‑demand (MD) network that supports working memory, problem‑solving, and other executive tasks. Language abilities, however, follow a different trajectory. A new brain‑imaging study by MIT and Boston University reveals that older adults retain language‑network activity that is virtually indistinguishable from that of younger adults, while the MD network shows marked age‑related changes.
The researchers tested two cohorts: a younger group (17‑39 years) and an older group (41‑80 years). A spatial‑memory task (remembering the location of squares in a grid) engaged the MD network; older participants exhibited smaller, less synchronized networks with weaker overall activation. To probe the language network, participants listened to stories and read sentences. Both age groups showed comparable activation levels and spatial patterns, and older adults displayed the same heightened response to unfamiliar words or unusual grammatical constructions as younger adults.
Although the study did not directly assess language performance, prior work indicates that vocabulary and reading skills can continue to grow throughout life, much like a large language model trained on ever‑increasing data. The authors suggest that brain systems specialized for a particular function—such as language—are more resistant to aging, whereas the flexible, domain‑general MD network is more vulnerable.
Funding came from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, MIT’s McGovern Institute, the Simons Center for the Social Brain, and other sources.
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