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Zhang S, Wilmut K, Zhang K, Wang S. Age-related changes in motor planning for prior intentions: a mouse tracking reach-to-click task. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1323798. [PMID: 38562237 PMCID: PMC10983849 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1323798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
When we complete sequential movements with different intentions, we plan our movements and adjust ahead. Such a phenomenon is called anticipatory planning for prior intentions and is known to decline with age. In daily life activities, we often need to consider and plan for multiple demands in one movement sequence. However, previous studies only considered one dimension of prior intentions, either different types of onward actions or different precisions of fit or placement. Therefore, in this study, we investigated anticipatory planning for both extrinsic (movement direction) and intrinsic (fit precision) target-related properties in a computer-based movement task and analyzed the computer cursor movement kinematics of both young and older adults. We found that older people consider and adjust for different properties step-by-step, with movement direction being considered as a prior intention during reach movement and fit precision as a motor constraint during drop movement. The age-related changes in the completion of onward actions are constrained by one's general cognitive ability, sensorimotor performance and effective motor planning for prior intentions. Age-related decline in motor planning can manifest as counterproductive movement profiles, resulting in suboptimal performance of intended actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujing Zhang
- Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Kate Wilmut
- Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kaiyu Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First People's Hospital of Kunshan, Kunshan, China
| | - Shan Wang
- Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
- Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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2
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Chiyohara S, Furukawa JI, Noda T, Morimoto J, Imamizu H. Proprioceptive short-term memory in passive motor learning. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20826. [PMID: 38012253 PMCID: PMC10682388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48101-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A physical trainer often physically guides a learner's limbs to teach an ideal movement, giving the learner proprioceptive information about the movement to be reproduced later. This instruction requires the learner to perceive kinesthetic information and store the instructed information temporarily. Therefore, (1) proprioceptive acuity to accurately perceive the taught kinesthetics and (2) short-term memory to store the perceived information are two critical functions for reproducing the taught movement. While the importance of proprioceptive acuity and short-term memory has been suggested for active motor learning, little is known about passive motor learning. Twenty-one healthy adults (mean age 25.6 years, range 19-38 years) participated in this study to investigate whether individual learning efficiency in passively guided learning is related to these two functions. Consequently, learning efficiency was significantly associated with short-term memory capacity. In particular, individuals who could recall older sensory stimuli showed better learning efficiency. However, no significant relationship was observed between learning efficiency and proprioceptive acuity. A causal graph model found a direct influence of memory on learning and an indirect effect of proprioceptive acuity on learning via memory. Our findings suggest the importance of a learner's short-term memory for effective passive motor learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Chiyohara
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Keihanna Science City, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichiro Furukawa
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Keihanna Science City, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan
- Man-Machine Collaboration Research Team, Guardian Robot Project, RIKEN, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Noda
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Keihanna Science City, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan
| | - Jun Morimoto
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Keihanna Science City, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan.
- Man-Machine Collaboration Research Team, Guardian Robot Project, RIKEN, Kyoto, Japan.
- Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi Imamizu
- Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Keihanna Science City, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
- Research Into Artifacts, Center for Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
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3
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Murtola T, Richards C. The impact of age-related increase in passive muscle stiffness on simulated upper limb reaching. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221453. [PMID: 36778951 PMCID: PMC9905985 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ageing changes the musculoskeletal and neural systems, potentially affecting a person's ability to perform daily living activities. One of these changes is increased passive stiffness of muscles, but its contribution to performance is difficult to separate experimentally from other ageing effects such as loss of muscle strength or cognitive function. A computational upper limb model was used to study the effects of increasing passive muscle stiffness on reaching performance across the model's workspace (all points reachable with a given model geometry). The simulations indicated that increased muscle stiffness alone caused deterioration of reaching accuracy, starting from the edges of the workspace. Re-tuning the model's control parameters to match the ageing muscle properties does not fully reverse ageing effects but can improve accuracy in selected regions of the workspace. The results suggest that age-related muscle stiffening, isolated from other ageing effects, impairs reaching performance. The model also exhibited oscillatory instability in a few simulations when the controller was tuned to the presence of passive muscle stiffness. This instability is not observed in humans, implying the presence of natural stabilizing strategies, thus pointing to the adaptive capacity of neural control systems as a potential area of future investigation in age-related muscle stiffening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiina Murtola
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Christopher Richards
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
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Ziv G, Lidor R, Levin O. Reaction time and working memory in middle-aged gamers and non-gamers. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2022; 228:103666. [PMID: 35820337 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore whether asking middle-aged gamers and non-gamers about their video games habits will affect their performance of cognitive-motor tasks. One-hundred and twenty-one participants were randomly assigned to four groups: (a) gamers who were asked about their playing habits prior to the study, (b) gamers who were asked about their playing habits following the study, (c) non-gamers who were asked about their playing habits prior to the study, and (d) non-gamers who were asked about their playing habits following the study. The participants performed three reaction time (RT) tasks and a digit-span memory task. In a task-switching task, gamers had more correct responses when they answered the questionnaire before performing the task compared with after the task. For the non-gamers, the opposite occurred. We conclude that some performance measures of cognitive-motor tasks could have been affected by the timing of the completion of the questionnaire. This finding should be known to researchers as it may lead to biases gaming research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Ziv
- Motor Behavior Laboratory, The Academic College at Wingate, Netanya, Israel.
| | - Ronnie Lidor
- Motor Behavior Laboratory, The Academic College at Wingate, Netanya, Israel
| | - Oron Levin
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Gökçe E, Stojan R, Mack M, Bock O, Voelcker-Rehage C. Lifestyle Matters: Effects of Habitual Physical Activity on Driving Skills in Older Age. Brain Sci 2022; 12:608. [PMID: 35624995 PMCID: PMC9139606 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on multitasking driving has suggested age-related deterioration in driving performance. It has been shown that physical and cognitive functioning, which are related to driving performance and decline with aging, are positively associated with physical activity behavior. This study aimed to explore whether driving performance decline becomes severe with advancing age and whether physical activity behavior modifies age-related deterioration in driving performance. A total of one hundred forty-one healthy adults were categorized into three groups based on their age; old-old (74.21 ± 2.33 years), young-old (66.53 ± 1.50 years), and young adults (23.25 ± 2.82 years). Participants completed a realistic multitasking driving task. Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness levels were evaluated. Older groups drove more slowly and laterally than young adults, and old-old adults drove slower than young-old ones across the whole driving course. Physical activity level did not interact with the aging effect on driving performance, whereas cardiovascular fitness interacted. Higher-fitness young-old and young adults drove faster than higher-fitness old-old adults. Higher-fitness old adults drove more laterally than higher-fitness young adults. The present study demonstrated a gradual decline in driving performance in old adults, and cardiorespiratory fitness interacted with the aging effect on driving performance. Future research on the interaction of aging and physical activity behavior on driving performance in different age groups is of great value and may help deepen our knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evrim Gökçe
- Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Schickard-Straße 8, 48149 Münster, Germany; (R.S.); (M.M.)
- Sports Health Rehabilitation Laboratory, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Robert Stojan
- Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Schickard-Straße 8, 48149 Münster, Germany; (R.S.); (M.M.)
| | - Melanie Mack
- Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Schickard-Straße 8, 48149 Münster, Germany; (R.S.); (M.M.)
| | - Otmar Bock
- Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics, German Sport University, Am Sportpark Muengersdorf 6, 50927 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Claudia Voelcker-Rehage
- Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Schickard-Straße 8, 48149 Münster, Germany; (R.S.); (M.M.)
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Wittenberg GF, Tian J, Kortzorg N, Wyers L, Van Halewyck F, Boisgontier MP, Levin O, Swinnen SP, Jonkers I. Normal aging affects unconstrained three-dimensional reaching against gravity with reduced vertical precision and increased co-contraction: a pilot study. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:1029-1044. [PMID: 35171307 PMCID: PMC9985825 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06280-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Reaching for an object in space forms the basis for many activities of daily living and is important in rehabilitation after stroke and in other neurological and orthopedic conditions. It has been the object of motor control and neuroscience research for over a century, but studies often constrain movement to eliminate the effect of gravity or reduce the degrees of freedom. In some studies, aging has been shown to reduce target accuracy, with a mechanism suggested to be impaired corrective movements. We sought to explore how such changes in accuracy relate to changes in finger, shoulder and elbow movements during performance of reaching movements with the normal effects of gravity, unconstrained hand movement, and stable target locations. Three-dimensional kinematic data and electromyography were collected in 14 young (25 ± 6 years) and 10 older adults (68 ± 3 years) during second-long reaches to 3 targets aligned vertically in front of the participants. Older adults took longer to initiate a movement than the young adults and were more variable and inaccurate in their initial and final movements. Target height had greater effect on trajectory curvature variability in older than young adults, with angle variability relative to target position being greater in older adults around the time of peak speed. There were significant age-related differences in use of the multiple degrees of freedom of the upper extremity, with less variability in shoulder abduction in the older group. Muscle activation patterns were similar, except for a higher biceps-triceps co-contraction and tonic levels of some proximal muscle activation. These results show an age-related deficit in the motor planning and online correction of reaching movements against a predictable force (i.e., gravity) when it is not compensated by mechanical support.
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Affiliation(s)
- George F Wittenberg
- Maryland Exercise & Robotics Center of Excellence, Geriatrics Research Educational and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Laboratory for Research on Arm Function and Therapy, Departments of Neurology, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, and Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Older Americans Independence Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 811 Kaufmann Medical Building, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-3232, USA.
| | - Jing Tian
- Maryland Exercise & Robotics Center of Excellence, Geriatrics Research Educational and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Laboratory for Research on Arm Function and Therapy, Departments of Neurology, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, and Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Older Americans Independence Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nick Kortzorg
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lore Wyers
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Florian Van Halewyck
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthieu P Boisgontier
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Oron Levin
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Jonkers
- Human Movement Biomechanics Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Perturbation of cortical activity elicits regional and age-dependent effects on unconstrained reaching behavior: a pilot study. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:3585-3600. [PMID: 34591126 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06228-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Contributions from premotor and supplementary motor areas to reaching behavior in aging humans are not well understood. The objective of these experiments was to examine effects of perturbations to specific cortical areas on the control of unconstrained reaches against gravity by younger and older adults. Double-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied to scalp locations targeting primary motor cortex (M1), dorsal premotor area (PMA), supplementary motor area (SMA), or dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Stimulation was intended to perturb ongoing activity in the targeted cortical region before or after a visual cue to initiate moderately paced reaches to one of three vertical target locations. Regional effects were observed in movement amplitude both early and late in the reach. Perturbation of PMA increased reach distance before the time of peak velocity to a greater extent than all other regions. Reaches showed greater deviation from a straight-line path around the time of peak velocity and greater overall curvature with perturbation of PMA and M1 relative to SMA and DLPFC. The perturbation increased positional variability of the reach path at the time of peak velocity and the time elapsing after peak velocity. Although perturbations had stronger effects on reaches by younger subjects, this group exhibited less reach path variability at the time of peak velocity and required less time to adjust the movement trajectory thereafter. These findings support the role of PMA in visually guided reaching and suggest an age-related change in sensorimotor processing, possibly due to a loss of cortical inhibitory control.
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Vandael K, Stanton TR, Meulders A. Assessing kinesthetic proprioceptive function of the upper limb: a novel dynamic movement reproduction task using a robotic arm. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11301. [PMID: 33987004 PMCID: PMC8101453 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Proprioception refers to the perception of motion and position of the body or body segments in space. A wide range of proprioceptive tests exists, although tests dynamically evaluating sensorimotor integration during upper limb movement are scarce. We introduce a novel task to evaluate kinesthetic proprioceptive function during complex upper limb movements using a robotic device. We aimed to evaluate the test–retest reliability of this newly developed Dynamic Movement Reproduction (DMR) task. Furthermore, we assessed reliability of the commonly used Joint Reposition (JR) task of the elbow, evaluated the association between both tasks, and explored the influence of visual information (viewing arm movement or not) on performance during both tasks. Methods During the DMR task, participants actively reproduced movement patterns while holding a handle attached to the robotic arm, with the device encoding actual position throughout movement. In the JR task, participants actively reproduced forearm positions; with the final arm position evaluated using an angle measurement tool. The difference between target movement pattern/position and reproduced movement pattern/position served as measures of accuracy. In study 1 (N = 23), pain-free participants performed both tasks at two test sessions, 24-h apart, both with and without visual information available (i.e., vision occluded using a blindfold). In study 2 (N = 64), an independent sample of pain-free participants performed the same tasks in a single session to replicate findings regarding the association between both tasks and the influence of visual information. Results The DMR task accuracy showed good-to-excellent test–retest reliability, while JR task reliability was poor: measurements did not remain sufficiently stable over testing days. The DMR and JR tasks were only weakly associated. Adding visual information (i.e., watching arm movement) had different performance effects on the tasks: it increased JR accuracy but decreased DMR accuracy, though only when the DMR task started with visual information available (i.e., an order effect). Discussion The DMR task’s highly standardized protocol (i.e., largely automated), precise measurement and involvement of the entire upper limb kinetic chain (i.e., shoulder, elbow and wrist joints) make it a promising tool. Moreover, the poor association between the JR and DMR tasks indicates that they likely capture unique aspects of proprioceptive function. While the former mainly captures position sense, the latter appears to capture sensorimotor integration processes underlying kinesthesia, largely independent of position sense. Finally, our results show that the integration of visual and proprioceptive information is not straightforward: additional visual information of arm movement does not necessarily make active movement reproduction more accurate, on the contrary, when movement is complex, vision appears to make it worse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristof Vandael
- Experimental Health Psychology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tasha R Stanton
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.,IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ann Meulders
- Experimental Health Psychology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Research Group Health Psychology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Coffman CR, Capaday C, Darling WG. Proprioceptive Acuity is Enhanced During Arm Movements Compared to When the Arm is Stationary: A Study of Young and Older Adults. Neuroscience 2021; 466:222-234. [PMID: 33905823 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Proprioception in old age is thought to be poorer due to degeneration of the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS). We tested whether community-dwelling older adults (65-83 years) make larger proprioceptive errors than young adults (18-22 years) using a natural reaching task. Subjects moved the right arm to touch the index fingertip to the stationary or moving left index fingertip. The range of locations of the target index fingertip was large, sampling the natural workspace of the human arm. The target arm was moved actively by the subject or passively by the experimenter and reaching arm movements towards the target were made under visual guidance, or with vision blocked (proprioceptive guidance). Subjects did not know the direction or speed of upcoming target hand motion in the passive conditions. Mean 3D distance errors between the right and left index finger tips were small in both groups and only slightly larger when vision was blocked than when allowed, but averaged 2-5 mm larger in older than in younger adults in moving (p = 0.002) and stationary (p = 0.07) conditions, respectively. Variable errors were small and similar in the two groups (p > 0.35). Importantly, clearly larger errors were observed for reaching to the stationary than to the moving index fingertip in both groups, demonstrating that dynamic proprioceptive information during movement permits more accurate localization of the endpoint of the moving arm. This novel finding demonstrates the importance of dynamic proprioceptive information in movement guidance and bimanual coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Coffman
- Department of Health and Human Physiology Motor Control Laboratory, University of Iowa 225 S Grand Ave, Iowa City, IA 52242 United States
| | - Charles Capaday
- Department of Health and Human Physiology Motor Control Laboratory, University of Iowa 225 S Grand Ave, Iowa City, IA 52242 United States
| | - Warren G Darling
- Department of Health and Human Physiology Motor Control Laboratory, University of Iowa 225 S Grand Ave, Iowa City, IA 52242 United States.
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Poirier G, Ohayon A, Juranville A, Mourey F, Gaveau J. Deterioration, Compensation and Motor Control Processes in Healthy Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. Geriatrics (Basel) 2021; 6:33. [PMID: 33807008 PMCID: PMC8006018 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics6010033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with modifications of several brain structures and functions. These modifications then manifest as modified behaviors. It has been proposed that some brain function modifications may compensate for some other deteriorated ones, thus maintaining behavioral performance. Through the concept of compensation versus deterioration, this article reviews the literature on motor function in healthy and pathological aging. We first highlight mechanistic studies that used paradigms, allowing us to identify precise compensation mechanisms in healthy aging. Subsequently, we review studies investigating motor function in two often-associated neurological conditions, i.e., mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. We point out the need to expand the knowledge gained from descriptive studies with studies targeting specific motor control processes. Teasing apart deteriorated versus compensating processes represents precious knowledge that could significantly improve the prevention and rehabilitation of age-related loss of mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Poirier
- INSERM U1093-CAPS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France; (A.O.); (A.J.); (F.M.); (J.G.)
- Espace d’Étude du Mouvement—Étienne Jules MAREY, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Alice Ohayon
- INSERM U1093-CAPS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France; (A.O.); (A.J.); (F.M.); (J.G.)
| | - Adrien Juranville
- INSERM U1093-CAPS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France; (A.O.); (A.J.); (F.M.); (J.G.)
| | - France Mourey
- INSERM U1093-CAPS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France; (A.O.); (A.J.); (F.M.); (J.G.)
- Espace d’Étude du Mouvement—Étienne Jules MAREY, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Jeremie Gaveau
- INSERM U1093-CAPS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France; (A.O.); (A.J.); (F.M.); (J.G.)
- Espace d’Étude du Mouvement—Étienne Jules MAREY, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France
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Goodman R, Tremblay L. Older adults rely on somatosensory information from the effector limb in the planning of discrete movements to somatosensory cues. Exp Gerontol 2021; 150:111310. [PMID: 33741455 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
While younger and older adults can perform upper-limb reaches to spatial targets with comparable endpoint accuracy (i.e., Helsen et al., 2016; Goodman et al., 2020), movement planning (i.e., reaction time) is significantly longer in older versus younger adults (e.g., Pohl et al., 1996; Goodman et al., 2020). Critically relevant to the current study, age-related differences in reaction time are even greater when older adults plan movement towards somatosensory versus visual or bimodal targets in the absence of vision of the moving limb (e.g., Goodman et al., 2020). One proposed explanation of these lengthened reaction times to somatosensory targets is that older adults may be experiencing challenges in implementing sensorimotor transformations when planning discrete movements of their unseen limb. To test this idea and assess the contributions of somatosensory information to these motor planning processes, tendon vibration was applied to the muscles of the effector limb between reaching movements made towards visual, somatosensory, or bimodal targets. The results revealed that older adults show the greatest increases in reaction times when vibration was applied during the preparation of movements to somatosensory targets. Further, both older and younger adults exhibited decreased movement endpoint precision when tendon vibration was applied. However, only older adults showed significantly lower movement endpoint precision due to tendon vibration when making movements to somatosensory targets, versus both visual and bimodal targets. These results corroborate previous evidence that older adults have difficulties planning upper-limb movements to somatosensory targets. As well, these results yielded novel evidence that such motor planning processes in older adult rely on somatosensory cues from the effector limb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Goodman
- Perceptual Motor Behaviour Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Canada; Centre for Motor Control, University of Toronto, Canada.
| | - Luc Tremblay
- Perceptual Motor Behaviour Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Canada; Centre for Motor Control, University of Toronto, Canada
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12
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Kitchen NM, Miall RC. Adaptation of reach action to a novel force-field is not predicted by acuity of dynamic proprioception in either older or younger adults. Exp Brain Res 2020; 239:557-574. [PMID: 33315127 PMCID: PMC7936968 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-020-05997-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Healthy ageing involves degeneration of the neuromuscular system which impacts movement control and proprioception. Yet the relationship between these sensory and motor deficits in upper limb reaching has not been examined in detail. Recently, we reported that age-related proprioceptive deficits were unrelated to accuracy in rapid arm movements, but whether this applied in motor tasks more heavily dependent on proprioceptive feedback was not clear. To address this, we have tested groups of younger and older adults on a force-field adaptation task under either full or limited visual feedback conditions and examined how performance was related to dynamic proprioceptive acuity. Adaptive performance was similar between the age groups, regardless of visual feedback condition, although older adults showed increased after-effects. Physically inactive individuals made larger systematic (but not variable) proprioceptive errors, irrespective of age. However, dynamic proprioceptive acuity was unrelated to adaptation and there was no consistent evidence of proprioceptive recalibration with adaptation to the force-field for any group. Finally, in spite of clear age-dependent loss of spatial working memory capacity, we found no relationship between memory capacity and adaptive performance or proprioceptive acuity. Thus, non-clinical levels of deficit in dynamic proprioception, due to age or physical inactivity, do not affect force-field adaptation, even under conditions of limited visual feedback that might require greater proprioceptive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick M Kitchen
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - R Chris Miall
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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13
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Elliott D, Lyons J, Hayes SJ, Burkitt JJ, Hansen S, Grierson LEM, Foster NC, Roberts JW, Bennett SJ. The multiple process model of goal-directed aiming/reaching: insights on limb control from various special populations. Exp Brain Res 2020; 238:2685-2699. [PMID: 33079207 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-020-05952-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Several years ago, our research group forwarded a model of goal-directed reaching and aiming that describes the processes involved in the optimization of speed, accuracy, and energy expenditure Elliott et al. (Psychol Bull 136:1023-1044, 2010). One of the main features of the model is the distinction between early impulse control, which is based on a comparison of expected to perceived sensory consequences, and late limb-target control that involves a spatial comparison of limb and target position. Our model also emphasizes the importance of strategic behaviors that limit the opportunity for worst-case or inefficient outcomes. In the 2010 paper, we included a section on how our model can be used to understand atypical aiming/reaching movements in a number of special populations. In light of a recent empirical and theoretical update of our model Elliott et al. (Neurosci Biobehav Rev 72:95-110, 2017), here we consider contemporary motor control work involving typical aging, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and tetraplegia with tendon-transfer surgery. We outline how atypical limb control can be viewed within the context of the multiple-process model of goal-directed reaching and aiming, and discuss the underlying perceptual-motor impairment that results in the adaptive solution developed by the specific group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Digby Elliott
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
| | - James Lyons
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Spencer J Hayes
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Steve Hansen
- School of Physical and Health Education, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Lawrence E M Grierson
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Nathan C Foster
- Cognition, Motion and Neuroscience Unit, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - James W Roberts
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Simon J Bennett
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
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14
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Poirier G, Papaxanthis C, Mourey F, Gaveau J. Motor Planning of Vertical Arm Movements in Healthy Older Adults: Does Effort Minimization Persist With Aging? Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:37. [PMID: 32161533 PMCID: PMC7052522 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Several sensorimotor modifications are known to occur with aging, possibly leading to adverse outcomes such as falls. Recently, some of those modifications have been proposed to emerge from motor planning deteriorations. Motor planning of vertical movements is thought to engage an internal model of gravity to anticipate its mechanical effects on the body-limbs and thus to genuinely produce movements that minimize muscle effort. This is supported, amongst other results, by direction-dependent kinematics where relative durations to peak accelerations and peak velocity are shorter for upward than for downward movements. The present study compares the motor planning of fast and slow vertical arm reaching movements between 18 young (24 ± 3 years old) and 17 older adults (70 ± 5 years old). We found that older participants still exhibit strong directional asymmetries (i.e., differences between upward and downward movements), indicating that optimization processes during motor planning persist with healthy aging. However, the size of these differences was increased in older participants, indicating that gravity-related motor planning changes with age. We discuss this increase as the possible result of an overestimation of gravity torque or increased weight of the effort cost in the optimization process. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that feedforward processes and, more precisely, optimal motor planning, remain active with healthy aging.
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15
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Goodman R, Manson GA, Tremblay L. Age-related Differences in Sensorimotor Transformations for Visual and/or Somatosensory Targets: Planning or Execution? Exp Aging Res 2020; 46:128-138. [DOI: 10.1080/0361073x.2020.1716153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Goodman
- Perceptual-Motor Behaviour Laboratory, Centre for Motor Control, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gerome A. Manson
- Perceptual-Motor Behaviour Laboratory, Centre for Motor Control, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luc Tremblay
- Perceptual-Motor Behaviour Laboratory, Centre for Motor Control, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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16
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Kitchen NM, Miall RC. Proprioceptive deficits in inactive older adults are not reflected in fast targeted reaching movements. Exp Brain Res 2019; 237:531-545. [PMID: 30478636 PMCID: PMC6373199 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5440-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
During normal healthy ageing there is a decline in the ability to control simple movements, characterised by increased reaction times, movement durations and variability. There is also growing evidence of age-related proprioceptive loss which may contribute to these impairments. However, this relationship has not been studied in detail for the upper limb. We recruited 20 younger adults (YAs) and 31 older adults (OAs) who each performed 2 tasks on a 2D robotic manipulandum. The first assessed dynamic proprioceptive acuity using active, multi-joint movements constrained by the robot to a pre-defined path. Participants made perceptual judgements of the lateral position of the unseen arm. The second task required fast, accurate and discrete movements to the same targets in the absence of visual feedback of the hand, and without robotic intervention. We predicted that the variable proprioceptive error (uncertainty range) assessed in Task 1 would be increased in physically inactive OAs and would predict increased movement variability in Task 2. Instead we found that physically inactive OAs had larger systematic proprioceptive errors (bias) than YAs (t[33] = 2.8, p = 0.009), and neither proprioceptive uncertainty nor bias was related to motor performance in either age group (all regression model R2 ≤ 0.06). We suggest that previously reported estimates of proprioceptive decline with ageing may be exaggerated by task demands and that the extent of these deficits is unrelated to control of discrete, rapid movement. The relationship between dynamic proprioceptive acuity and movement control in other tasks with greater emphasis on online feedback is still unclear and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick M Kitchen
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - R Chris Miall
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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17
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Boisgontier MP, Cheval B, van Ruitenbeek P, Cuypers K, Leunissen I, Sunaert S, Meesen R, Zivari Adab H, Renaud O, Swinnen SP. Cerebellar gray matter explains bimanual coordination performance in children and older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 65:109-120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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18
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Shimoda N, Lee J, Kodama M, Kakei S, Masakado Y. Quantitative evaluation of age-related decline in control of preprogramed movement. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188657. [PMID: 29186168 PMCID: PMC5706693 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we examined the age-related changes in control of preprogramed movement, with emphasis on its accuracy. Forty-nine healthy subjects participated in this study, and were divided into three groups depending on their ages: the young group (20–39 years) (n = 16), the middle-age group (40–59 years) (n = 16), and the elderly group (60–79 years) (n = 17). We asked the subjects to perform step-tracking movements of the wrist joint with a manipulandum, and recorded the movements. We evaluated the accuracy of control of preprogramed movement in the three groups in terms of the primary submovement, which was identified as the first segment of the step-tracking movement based on the bell-shaped velocity profile, and calculated the distance between the end position of the primary submovement and the target (i.e. error). The error in the young group was found to be significantly smaller than that in the middle-age and elderly groups, i.e., the error was larger for the higher age groups. These results suggest that young subjects have better control of preprogramed movement than middle-age or elderly subjects. Finally, we examined the temporal property of the primary submovement and its age-related changes. The duration of the primary submovement tended to be longer for the aged groups, although significance was reached only for the elderly group. In particular, the ratio of the duration of the primary submovement to total movement time tended to be lower for the aged groups, suggesting that the proportion of additional movements that are required to compensate for the incomplete control in the preprogramed movement, which are under feedback control, was higher for the aged groups. Consequently, our results indicate that the distance between the end point of the primary submovement and the target center (i.e. error) in the step-tracking movement is a useful parameter to evaluate the age-related changes in control of preprogramed movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoshi Shimoda
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Jongho Lee
- Movement Disorders Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko Kodama
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shinji Kakei
- Movement Disorders Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Masakado
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
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19
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Van de Winckel A, Tseng YT, Chantigian D, Lorant K, Zarandi Z, Buchanan J, Zeffiro TA, Larson M, Olson-Kellogg B, Konczak J, Keller-Ross ML. Age-Related Decline of Wrist Position Sense and its Relationship to Specific Physical Training. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:570. [PMID: 29209188 PMCID: PMC5702425 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Perception of limb and body positions is known as proprioception. Sensory feedback, especially from proprioceptive receptors, is essential for motor control. Aging is associated with a decline in position sense at proximal joints, but there is inconclusive evidence of distal joints being equally affected by aging. In addition, there is initial evidence that physical activity attenuates age-related decline in proprioception. Our objectives were, first, to establish wrist proprioceptive acuity in a large group of seniors and compare their perception to young adults, and second, to determine if specific types of training or regular physical activity are associated with preserved wrist proprioception. We recruited community-dwelling seniors (n = 107, mean age, 70 ± 5 years, range, 65–84 years) without cognitive decline (Mini Mental State Examination-brief version ≥13/16) and young adult students (n = 51, mean age, 20 ± 1 years, range, 19–26 years). Participants performed contralateral and ipsilateral wrist position sense matching tasks with a bimanual wrist manipulandum to a 15° flexion reference position. Systematic error or proprioceptive bias was computed as the mean difference between matched and reference position. The respective standard deviation over five trials constituted a measure of random error or proprioceptive precision. Current levels of physical activity and previous sport, musical, or dance training were obtained through a questionnaire. We employed longitudinal mixed effects linear models to calculate the effects of trial number, sex, type of matching task and age on wrist proprioceptive bias and precision. The main results were that relative proprioceptive bias was greater in older when compared to young adults (mean difference: 36% ipsilateral, 88% contralateral, p < 0.01). Proprioceptive precision for contralateral but not for ipsilateral matching was smaller in older than in young adults (mean difference: 38% contralateral, p < 0.01). Longer years of dance training were associated with smaller bias during ipsilateral matching (p < 0.01). Other types of training or physical activity levels did not affect bias or precision. Our findings demonstrate that aging is associated with a decline in proprioceptive bias in distal arm joints, but age does not negatively affect proprioceptive precision. Further, specific types of long-term dance related training may attenuate age-related decline in proprioceptive bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Van de Winckel
- Brain Plasticity Laboratory, Division of Physical Therapy and Division of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Yu-Ting Tseng
- Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Daniel Chantigian
- Division of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Kaitlyn Lorant
- Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Zinat Zarandi
- Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jeffrey Buchanan
- Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | | | - Mia Larson
- Division of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Becky Olson-Kellogg
- Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jürgen Konczak
- Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Manda L Keller-Ross
- Cardiovascular Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Division of Physical Therapy and Division of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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20
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Levy-Tzedek S. Motor errors lead to enhanced performance in older adults. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3270. [PMID: 28607449 PMCID: PMC5468294 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03430-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Young individuals make larger and faster forearm movements when visual feedback about the movement is not available, compared to when it is. We set out to test whether this behavior persists with aging. We tested 40 participants, 20 in each age group - young and old, on a task that required making rhythmic movements of the forearm with and without visual feedback. Surprisingly, we found that older adults increased the speed and the amplitude of their movements to an even greater extent than did the young adults. Furthermore, we found that the increase in speed and amplitude during the non-vision trial segments improved their performance on the task, and they were able to leverage the change in these movement parameters (speed and amplitude) to improve their performance during subsequent trial segments that did include visual feedback. The improvement in accuracy on the task was accompanied by a decrease in path variability. The results indicate that older adults can adapt their movement parameters to enhance performance following a motor perturbation. They further suggest that motor variability in old age can be advantageous under certain circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Levy-Tzedek
- Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Department of Physical Therapy, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. .,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
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21
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Mottet D, van Dokkum LEH, Froger J, Gouaïch A, Laffont I. Trajectory formation principles are the same after mild or moderate stroke. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173674. [PMID: 28329000 PMCID: PMC5362058 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
When we make rapid reaching movements, we have to trade speed for accuracy. To do so, the trajectory of our hand is the result of an optimal balance between feed-forward and feed-back control in the face of signal-dependant noise in the sensorimotor system. How far do these principles of trajectory formation still apply after a stroke, for persons with mild to moderate sensorimotor deficits who recovered some reaching ability? Here, we examine the accuracy of fast hand reaching movements with a focus on the information capacity of the sensorimotor system and its relation to trajectory formation in young adults, in persons who had a stroke and in age-matched control participants. We find that persons with stroke follow the same trajectory formation principles, albeit parameterized differently in the face of higher sensorimotor uncertainty. Higher directional errors after a stroke result in less feed-forward control, hence more feed-back loops responsible for segmented movements. As a consequence, movements are globally slower to reach the imposed accuracy, and the information throughput of the sensorimotor system is lower after a stroke. The fact that the most abstract principles of motor control remain after a stroke suggests that clinicians can capitalize on existing theories of motor control and learning to derive principled rehabilitation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mottet
- EuroMov, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Jérôme Froger
- EuroMov, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital of Nimes, Nimes, France
| | - Abdelkader Gouaïch
- Laboratoire d’Informatique de Robotique et de Microelectronique de Montpellier, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Isabelle Laffont
- EuroMov, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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22
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Boisgontier MP, Serbruyns L, Swinnen SP. Physical Activity Predicts Performance in an Unpracticed Bimanual Coordination Task. Front Psychol 2017; 8:249. [PMID: 28265253 PMCID: PMC5316524 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Practice of a given physical activity is known to improve the motor skills related to this activity. However, whether unrelated skills are also improved is still unclear. To test the impact of physical activity on an unpracticed motor task, 26 young adults completed the international physical activity questionnaire and performed a bimanual coordination task they had never practiced before. Results showed that higher total physical activity predicted higher performance in the bimanual task, controlling for multiple factors such as age, physical inactivity, music practice, and computer games practice. Linear mixed models allowed this effect of physical activity to be generalized to a large population of bimanual coordination conditions. This finding runs counter to the notion that generalized motor abilities do not exist and supports the existence of a “learning to learn” skill that could be improved through physical activity and that impacts performance in tasks that are not necessarily related to the practiced activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu P Boisgontier
- Department of Kinesiology, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group of Biomedical Sciences KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen Serbruyns
- Department of Kinesiology, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group of Biomedical Sciences KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Department of Kinesiology, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group of Biomedical Sciences KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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