Figure 2.

Thresholded functional connectivity matrices for younger adult controls (YACs), older adult controls (OACs), and Tai Chi older adult practitioners (TCOAs). Red indicates positive correlations, and blue indicates negative correlations (z-scored values displayed). Compared to YACs, OACs show reduced negative correlations and increased positive correlations, indicating age-related declines in network specialization. TCOAs exhibit a pattern between YACs and OACs, suggesting that Tai Chi practice may help preserve functional connectivity, maintaining a more balanced network organization despite aging. Networks visualized include visual (VIN), somatomotor (SMN), dorsal attention (DAN), ventral attention (VAN), limbic (LIN), frontoparietal (FPN), and default mode network (DMN).