Age-related deficits in reference frame switching of navigation ability

Aging can cause impairments in navigation ability, one of which is a deficit in switching between reference frames. However, its cognitive progress is still an open research topic. In this research, we presented a neuroscience-based approach to investigating how aging affects people’s reference frame switching during navigation. A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment was carried out with 11 aged and 13 young volunteers, with map-based navigation tasks. The behavioral findings demonstrated that the elderly’s accuracy of reference frame switching had decreased, but their efficiency was not substantially distinct from that of young adults. The functional connectivity of brain regions further revealed that aging reduced the global integration and efficiency of navigation-associated brain networks, especially the connection between the regions responsible for executive control and reference frame switching. We identified age-related strengthening of visual pathway connectivity, underlying heightened visual attention to spatial cues in map-based navigation. Our findings contribute to the neuroscientific evidence that aging impacts navigation ability and provide new support for the design of elderly-friendly navigation devices.