From microstates to network connectivity: Age-related differences in resting-state electroencephalography and their implications for cognitive abilities in adulthood.

The relationship between resting electroencephalography brain characteristics and cognitive abilities, particularly in the context of aging, remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed dynamic microstates, power spectrum, and functional connectivity in electroencephalography resting-state data collected from 123 younger individuals (17-32 years) and 99 older adults (60-81 years) experiencing normal aging, under both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. We also examined correlations between these brain features and cognitive abilities, including working memory, processing speed, and inhibition. Our results revealed age-related differences in the balance between microstates C' and D, as well as in power across the delta, theta, and alpha bands, and in intra- and interhemispheric connectivity patterns. Older adults also exhibited an anterior shift and decreased asymmetry in power. Notably, significant associations emerged between these brain features and cognitive abilities, particularly in forward and backward working memory, with the effects being more pronounced in the older group. Our findings indicate a decline in overall resting-state electroencephalography brain activity with age, along with a shift in the balance between attentional and default mode networks, emphasizing the strong connection between these neural changes and cognitive abilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).