This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.Advances in medical science have enabled us to continually increase life expectancy. In just over the past 40 years, the life expectancy of a woman has risen from 70 to nearly 80 years, and the life expectancy of a man has risen farom 65 to over 70 years. Thus, the population is continually aging, and although we have increased the expected life span such that individuals can expect to live more than 70 years, quality of life is an important factor that is often not considered. As humans age, they experience problems associated with both excessive use and disuse of organ systems. In fact, it has been shown that all sensory systems exhibit diminished function with age. Recent studies have also suggested that the integration of information from multiple sensory modalities (cross-modal processing) is affected by normal aging. Interestingly, many of the disabilities associated with aging that may impact the quality of life, such as increased falls, communication disturbances, and memory impairment, may be associated with an alteration of cross-modal processing. Yet, no specific study has been dedicated to evaluating age-related changes in brain regions that integrate sensory information. The studies proposed here will fill this knowledge gap by studying both unimodal and cross-modal processes in young and elderly adults using functional brain imaging and behavioral testing.
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