Authors
Elizabeth H T Chang, Anna Seydell-Greenwald, Trevor Km Day, Daniyal Nisbet, Peter E Turkeltaub
Published in
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. Jul 20, 2026. Epub Jul 20, 2026.
Abstract
Language is typically supported by the left hemisphere, but the prevalence and stability of language lateralization in older adults remain unclear. Although acquired language disorders disproportionately affect older adults, most studies of language lateralization have focused on younger populations. We examined language lateralization and its relationship with age in a large cohort of healthy older adults. 115 healthy adults (57 F, 58 M; mean age 59.6 years) completed functional MRI during an adaptive semantic decision task. Lateralization indices were calculated using a bootstrap-based laterality index (LI) approach for whole-hemisphere, frontal, and temporal regions. Relationships between age and lateralization were examined using Pearsons and Bayesian correlation analyses. Fifteen participants completed repeat imaging after a mean interval of 44.2 months. Language activation was strongly left-lateralized, with 96% of participants classified as left-lateralized and 3% as right-lateralized. Frontal and temporal LIs were strongly correlated. No significant relationship was observed between age and lateralization, and no significant longitudinal changes in lateralization were observed. Bayesian analyses supported absence of both age-related effects and longitudinal change in lateralization. Language lateralization remains strongly left-lateralized and unchanging in healthy aging. Findings suggest that aging should not be a factor in the incidence and severity of aphasia from lateralized pathology.
PMID:
42539264
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 01 Aug 2026.
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