EP Seminar - Katrien Segaert

Age-related changes in language use are subserved by a complex picture of changes to brain structure and function, with great variability within the older adult population in the extent of decline versus preservation in language use due to both genetic and lifestyle factors impacting the aging process. In this talk, I will give a brief overview of the impact of healthy ageing on language processing. Then, I will zoom in on the potential benefits of regular physical exercise and fitness as moderators of language processing in older adults, and the neurobiological mechanisms through which fitness impacts language use. 

I will present cross-sectional findings on the relationship between fitness and language, as well as longitudinal data on the benefits of improved fitness due to regular exercise in a randomised controlled trial for older adults’ language abilities. I will discuss production as well as comprehension (including tip-of-the-tongue tasks and word monitoring during sentence comprehension tasks). I will also share findings on the potential mechanisms through which fitness determines age-related changes in language, including changes to cerebral blood flow, grey matter volume, and brain function. 

Together, these neurobiological changes contribute to the complex picture of decline versus preservation in language use among older adults. The findings also demonstrate the important potential of compensatory mechanisms and/or reserve factors contributing to language use in older adults.