“…In a recent study, we showed that chronological age is generally better predicted by structural MRI, whereas functional MRI data, and particularly single-value scores, are superior in predicting individual memory performance in older adults (Soch et al ., 2022), possibly due to individual differences in compensatory mechanisms to maintain cognitive abilities (Raz and Lindenberger, 2011; Cabeza, Albert, Belleville, et al ., 2018; Tang et al ., 2018; Bråthen et al ., 2021). As such functional age-related differences are often but not always accompanied by cognitive decline (Cansino, 2009; Wong et al ., 2012; Richter et al ., 2023), they may also reflect adaptive strategies that are employed as a compensatory mechanism (Grady and Craik, 2000; Cabeza et al ., 2002; Stern, 2009; Maillet and Rajah, 2014; Cabeza, Albert, Craik, et al ., 2018). It was proposed that the time point from which on behavioral performance declines during aging strongly relates to an individual’s ability to compensate age-related physiological alterations (e.g., Stern, 2009).…”