Impact of Age-Appropriate Functional Atlas on Associations Between Network Connectivity and Cognition in Older Adults

Poster Session E - Monday, March 9, 2026, 2:30 – 4:30 pm PDT, Fairview/Kitsilano Ballrooms

Jessica Frame¹ (jcframe@uiowa.edu), Bryan Madero¹, Chris Oehler¹, Sydney Andersen¹, Hyun Kyu Lee², Chandramallika Basak³, Michelle Voss¹; ¹University of Iowa, ²Posit Science, ³The University of Texas at Dallas

Atlas 55+ has emerged as the first functional brain atlas derived from older adults, though it is unclear if such age-specific functional atlases are more sensitive to individual differences in cognitive performance in older adults. This study aims to compare the widely used Yeo-Krienen Atlas to Atlas 55+ in relation to cognition in n=123 older adults ages 65 to 85. Independent component analysis was used to define 5 networks shared by both atlases at the group-level, and dual regression was applied to define subject-specific networks for each of these. Spatial overlap with an atlas was quantified using Dice Coefficients (DSCs). Mixed-effects models tested associations between atlas-based measures of connectivity strength and atlas overlap with cognition, including covariates. At group level, DSCs show greater spatial overlap with the Yeo atlas; however, at subject level, most individuals overlapped more with Atlas 55+. Spatial overlap with a specific atlas showed no significant relationship with cognition. However, the magnitude of functional connectivity in atlas specific voxels of individual-level maps showed that Yeo-specific voxels in the Lateral-Frontoparietal Network and Pericentral Network (PN) were significantly and positively associated with executive function. This was also seen with memory in the PN. Results suggest Yeo-specific regions showing more cognitive relevance in aging populations, despite Atlas 55+ being created specifically for older adults. Therefore, although atlases derived from older adults may reflect individual differences in how networks reconfigure with aging, it is important to consider whether and how these individual differences reflect maintained cognitive function with aging.

Topic Area: METHODS: Neuroimaging