Characterization of age-related changes in sentence processing abilities and the resting-state language network.

Language is a symbolic communication system used to express thoughts and represent cognitive processes. Considering that the world's population is getting older, language skills are also affected by ageing, as are many other cognitive abilities. Various scientific papers have examined whether sentence processing abilities are subject to a decline in old age. Despite the established paradigm that cognitive capacities such as memory, processing speed, executive function and attention deteriorate with age, there are differing views as to whether sentence comprehension abilities worsen in late adulthood. The current research investigated age-related variations in sentence processing abilities and the related neural network using data obtained from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience data repository, which included sentence comprehension tasks and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging sessions. We found that despite the functional connectivity strength of the resting state language network declining progressively with age, sentence processing abilities remain stable into late adulthood. This finding sets sentence comprehension abilities apart from other domains of cognitive performance in that neither age nor changes in resting network connectivity robustly predict altered cognitive function. An implication is that where marked decline in language comprehension is apparent, compared to decline in other cognitive domains, this may be more likely to indicate the presence of factors other than normal ageing.