Physical Activity Level Moderates the Association Between Response Inhibition and Anterior Cingulate Cortex Volume in Older Adults

Aging is generally associated with a decline in executive function, a cognitive domain that is critical to functional independence. Response inhibition is an executive process that contributes to anticipation, planning, and goal setting. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a key brain structure that supports response inhibition and shows gray matter loss with age. Evidence suggests that both response inhibition performance and the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) are responsive to exercise training. Whether physical activity moderates the relationship between response inhibition and the ACC in older adults is unknown.