Is there a motor reserve in the cerebellum?

During healthy aging, motor function declines gradually. However, there is a large heterogeneity in motor function across older (and younger) adults. Some older adults are physically more resilient to age-related motor declines than others are, resulting in better motor function. Yet, the mechanisms that make some adults more resilient are still unknown. A leading theory in motor control states that the control of movements is achieved through so-called internal models. These internal models rely on a brain area, the cerebellum, which helps us predict the consequences of our movements. Given that the cerebellum is heavily affected by aging, the currently accepted hypothesis is that agerelated cerebellar degeneration directly causes motor deficits. In contrast, consistent with the absence of age-related declines in cerebellar motor tasks, the current project aims at testing the idea that the cerebellum can act as a motor reserve, which makes older adults resilient to age-related brain degeneration. I will investigate the existence of a motor reserve and the role of the cerebellum in it. I hypothesize that the motor reserve could explain the heterogeneity in motor function and resilience, especially across older adults. To do so, I will analyze functional connectivity of the cerebellum combined with an extensive test battery of behavioral tasks. This project will provide knowledge to stimulate functional independency of healthy older adults, a major concern in today’s society.