The effects of age on brain cortical activation and functional connectivity during video game-based finger-to-thumb opposition movement: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

•The age-related changes in cerebral cortex activation and functional connectivity (FC) during finger-to-thumb opposition movement based on video games (FTOMVG) were explored by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).•The cognitive region of the old group showed bilateral activation, while the young group only showed unilateral activation. Both groups showed a wide range of bilateral activation in the motor region.•The FC between cognitive region and motor region of the old group was enhanced considerably.•The study will help explain the decline in cognitive executive and motor control function in the old from the perspective of brain functional structure.