Brain scans may overstate cognitive decline in older adults

A new study reveals that common fMRI brain scans show excessive activity during thinking tasks in older adults, but PET scans measuring actual glucose use tell a different story. The finding challenges how researchers and clinicians interpret aging brain function, with implications for dementia screening and cognitive decline diagnostics.

Originaltitel: Widespread fMRI BOLD Signal Overactivations during Cognitive Control in Older Adults Are Not Matched by Corresponding Increases in fPET Glucose Metabolism