Source: Aging & Cognition Research Group, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
Elderly people often report substantial declines in navigational abilities, such as finding one's way in a complex environment or returning to one's car after a trip to the supermarket. Given that these types of challenges can severely restrict both the physical and social mobility of elderly people, looking at navigational changes in old age is a frontier research area that is of major relevance for improving quality of life for elderly individuals.
The core aim of the Aging and Cognition Research Group is to develop a detailed understanding of age-related changes in spatial navigation and the underlying neural network. Key components of this network are particularly sensitive to the aging process. To probe age-related changes in this navigational network, the group employs a multi-pronged methodological approach that combines cutting-edge interactive virtual reality technology, electrophysiology, neuroimaging, and advanced data analysis.
The Aging and Cognition Research Group is situated within the Magdeburg site of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). The mission of the DZNE is to understand the causes of and risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases and to develop therapeutic, diagnostic, and preventative health care strategies. In order to promote high quality research in this field, the DZNE closely collaborates with its partner universities at sites in Berlin, Bonn, Dresden, Göttingen, Magdeburg, Munich, Rostock/Greifswald, Tübingen, and Witten.
Image: © Aging & Cognition Research Group, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
