Age-related changes of interoceptive brain networks: Implications for interoception and alexithymia.

• DOI: 10.1037/emo0001366
• Publication Date: 2024-04-18T13:13:18Z
• Authors: Olga R. Dobrushina; Larisa A. Dobrynina; Galina A. Arina; Ekaterina V. Pech...; Elena I. Kremneva; Mariia V. Gubanova; Evgenia S. Novikova; Daria A. Kazantseva; Anastasia D. Suslina; Marina V. Krotenkova
• Keywords: Interoception

Aging is known to be associated with a decline in interoceptive abilities and changes emotional processing, including alexithymia. As the brain areas supporting awareness participate perception of emotion, we suggested that alexithymia older adults may share common neural ground. To test this hypothesis, administered functional magnetic resonance imaging-based heartbeat detection task 62 diverse ages (range 18-73) evaluated larger sample younger using questionnaires characterizing sensibility, alexithymia, depressive attitudes. We found increasing age was linked decreased activation during task, right insular-opercular supplementary motor (SMAs). Age also affected task-based connectivity, two major effects being decrease connectivity SMA-insular network an increase prefrontal-lateral occipital network. Path analysis performed for accuracy as endogenous variable revealed impact mediated by insular cortex SMA between these areas. Another path while controlling attitudes showed effect decline. The study supports role central mechanisms age-related shows its implications Since represents risk factor mental cardiovascular diseases, findings open important direction toward maintaining adults' well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).