Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS study
Problem-solving strategies vary depending on the type of problem and aging. This study investigated the hemodynamic response measured by the changes in the oxyhemoglobin concentration (HbO), alpha frequency power, and their interrelation during problem-solving in healthy young and middle-aged indivi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000643 |
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| author | Mevhibe Saricaoglu Meryem Ayşe Yücel Miray Budak Ahmet Omurtag Lutfu Hanoglu |
| author_facet | Mevhibe Saricaoglu Meryem Ayşe Yücel Miray Budak Ahmet Omurtag Lutfu Hanoglu |
| author_sort | Mevhibe Saricaoglu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Problem-solving strategies vary depending on the type of problem and aging. This study investigated the hemodynamic response measured by the changes in the oxyhemoglobin concentration (HbO), alpha frequency power, and their interrelation during problem-solving in healthy young and middle-aged individuals, employing combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recordings. The study included 39 young and 30 middle-aged subjects. The brain activation that occurred while answering different questions was recorded using combined EEG and fNIRS. During the EEG & fNIRS recording, four questions (arithmetic, general knowledge, insight, and basic operation) were used for problem-solving. Alpha power (8–13 Hz) and HbO changes were analyzed. The behavioral results indicated significant differences between age groups in various question types. While the middle-aged group performed better on the general knowledge questions, the older group performed better on the insight and four-process questions. The fNIRS results reveal significant differences in brain activation during problem-solving tasks, particularly in regions like DLPFC/TA, STG, pSSC/Wernicke, and STG/angular gyrus Wernicke's area. The young group with the highest HbO was recorded during arithmetic questions, general knowledge questions, and basic operation questions. In contrast, there was no significant highest HbO during insight questions. Similar findings were observed in the middle-aged group, with the highest HbO recorded during general knowledge questions. However, there was no significant HbO in other channels during the solving of other question types in this group. The alpha power varied across different electrodes for various question types in both young and middle-aged groups. The highest alpha frequency band power for different electrodes was recorded while solving general knowledge questions in the young group and insight questions in the middle-aged group. Finally, the EEG and fNIRS correlation results showed positive correlations between HbO and alpha frequency band power in specific brain regions while solving general knowledge questions, particularly in the middle-aged group.The study reveals age-related differences in behavioral performance, brain activation patterns, and neural correlates during various cognitive tasks, showcasing distinct strengths between middle-aged and young individuals in specific question types. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c2613aac6145470daf693299fd245983 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj-art-c2613aac6145470daf693299fd2459832025-02-02T05:26:51ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-03-01308121062Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS studyMevhibe Saricaoglu0Meryem Ayşe Yücel1Miray Budak2Ahmet Omurtag3Lutfu Hanoglu4Vocational School, Program of Electroneurophysiology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey; Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center (REMER), Clinical Electrophysiology, Neuroimaging and Neuromodulation Lab, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, United StatesCenter for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–Newark, NJ, United StatesDepartment of Engineering, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United KingdomResearch Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center (REMER), Clinical Electrophysiology, Neuroimaging and Neuromodulation Lab, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey; Corresponding author.Problem-solving strategies vary depending on the type of problem and aging. This study investigated the hemodynamic response measured by the changes in the oxyhemoglobin concentration (HbO), alpha frequency power, and their interrelation during problem-solving in healthy young and middle-aged individuals, employing combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recordings. The study included 39 young and 30 middle-aged subjects. The brain activation that occurred while answering different questions was recorded using combined EEG and fNIRS. During the EEG & fNIRS recording, four questions (arithmetic, general knowledge, insight, and basic operation) were used for problem-solving. Alpha power (8–13 Hz) and HbO changes were analyzed. The behavioral results indicated significant differences between age groups in various question types. While the middle-aged group performed better on the general knowledge questions, the older group performed better on the insight and four-process questions. The fNIRS results reveal significant differences in brain activation during problem-solving tasks, particularly in regions like DLPFC/TA, STG, pSSC/Wernicke, and STG/angular gyrus Wernicke's area. The young group with the highest HbO was recorded during arithmetic questions, general knowledge questions, and basic operation questions. In contrast, there was no significant highest HbO during insight questions. Similar findings were observed in the middle-aged group, with the highest HbO recorded during general knowledge questions. However, there was no significant HbO in other channels during the solving of other question types in this group. The alpha power varied across different electrodes for various question types in both young and middle-aged groups. The highest alpha frequency band power for different electrodes was recorded while solving general knowledge questions in the young group and insight questions in the middle-aged group. Finally, the EEG and fNIRS correlation results showed positive correlations between HbO and alpha frequency band power in specific brain regions while solving general knowledge questions, particularly in the middle-aged group.The study reveals age-related differences in behavioral performance, brain activation patterns, and neural correlates during various cognitive tasks, showcasing distinct strengths between middle-aged and young individuals in specific question types.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000643Problem-solvingAgingEEGfNIRSAlphaHbO |
| spellingShingle | Mevhibe Saricaoglu Meryem Ayşe Yücel Miray Budak Ahmet Omurtag Lutfu Hanoglu Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS study NeuroImage Problem-solving Aging EEG fNIRS Alpha HbO |
| title | Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS study |
| title_full | Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS study |
| title_fullStr | Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS study |
| title_short | Different cortex activation between young and middle-aged people during different type problem-solving: An EEG&fNIRS study |
| title_sort | different cortex activation between young and middle aged people during different type problem solving an eeg fnirs study |
| topic | Problem-solving Aging EEG fNIRS Alpha HbO |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000643 |
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