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Haikalis NK, Hooyman A, Wang P, Daliri A, Schaefer SY. Placebo effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on motor skill acquisition. Neurosci Lett 2023; 814:137442. [PMID: 37591359 PMCID: PMC11101143 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137442] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique used in neurorehabilitation to enhance motor training. However, its benefits to motor training can be difficult to reproduce across research studies. It is possible that the observed benefits of tDCS are not directly related to the intervention itself but rather to the brain-mind responses elicited by the treatment context, commonly known as a placebo effect. This study investigated the presence of a placebo effect of tDCS on motor training and explored potential underlying factors. Sixty-eight participants who were right-handed were randomly assigned to active tDCS, sham tDCS, or a no-stimulation control group. Double-blind active or sham tDCS was applied to the right primary motor cortex, while the unblinded control group received no stimulation. All participants completed 30 training trials of a functional upper-extremity motor task. Participants' beliefs of tDCS, along with their prior knowledge of tDCS, were also collected. There was no significant difference in the amount of improvement on the motor task between the active and sham tDCS groups; however, both active and sham tDCS groups improved more than the control group, indicating a placebo effect. More motor task improvement was also associated with higher beliefs of tDCS (regardless of whether active or sham tDCS was received). This demonstrates a measurable placebo effect of tDCS on motor training, driven at least in part by treatment expectations or beliefs. Future tDCS studies should control for beliefs and other placebo-related factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole K Haikalis
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Andrew Hooyman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Peiyuan Wang
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Ayoub Daliri
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Sydney Y Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
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Hooyman A, Schaefer SY. Age and sex effects on Super G performance are consistent across internet devices. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SERIOUS GAMES 2023; 10:25-36. [PMID: 37846217 PMCID: PMC10578419 DOI: 10.17083/ijsg.v10i2.598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
There have been recent advances in the application of online games that assess motor skill acquisition/learning and its relationship to age and biological sex, both of which are associated with dementia risk. While this online motor learning assessment (called Super G), along with other computer-based cognitive tests, was originally developed to be completed on a computer, many people (including older adults) have been shown to access the internet through a mobile device. Thus, to improve the generalizability of our online motor skill learning game, it must not only be compatible with mobile devices but also yield replicable effects of various participant characteristics on performance relative to the computer-based version. It is unknown if age and sex differentially affect game performance as a function of device type (keyboard versus touchscreen control). Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate if device type modifies the established effects of age and sex on performance. Although there was a main effect of device on performance, this effect did not alter the overall relationship between performance vs. age or sex. This establishes that Super G can now effectively be extended to both computer and mobile platforms to further test for dementia risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Hooyman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Sydney Y Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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Malek-Ahmadi M, Duff K, Chen K, Su Y, King JB, Koppelmans V, Schaefer SY. Volumetric regional MRI and neuropsychological predictors of motor task variability in cognitively unimpaired, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and probable Alzheimer's disease older adults. Exp Gerontol 2023; 173:112087. [PMID: 36639062 PMCID: PMC9974847 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112087] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The mechanisms linking motor function to Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression have not been well studied, despite evidence of AD pathology within motor brain regions. Thus, there is a need for new motor measure that is sensitive and specific to AD. METHODS In a sample of 121 older adults (54 cognitive unimpaired [CU], 35 amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment [aMCI], and 32 probable mild AD), intrasubject standard deviation (ISD) across six trials of a novel upper-extremity motor task was predicted with volumetric regional gray matter and neuropsychological scores using classification and regression tree (CART) analyses. RESULTS Both gray matter and neuropsychological CART models indicated that motor task ISD (our measure of motor learning) was related to cortical regions and cognitive test scores associated with memory, executive function, and visuospatial skills. CART models also accurately distinguished motor task ISD of MCI and probable mild AD from CU. DISCUSSION Variability in motor task performance across practice trials may be valuable for understanding preclinical and early-stage AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Malek-Ahmadi
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85006, United States of America; Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85006, United States of America
| | - Kevin Duff
- Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging, & Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States of America
| | - Kewei Chen
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85006, United States of America
| | - Yi Su
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85006, United States of America
| | - Jace B King
- Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging, & Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States of America
| | - Vincent Koppelmans
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States of America
| | - Sydney Y Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America.
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Wang P, Lingo VanGilder J, Schweighofer N, Schaefer SY. Rey-Osterrieth complex figure recall scores and motor skill learning in older adults: A non-linear mixed effect model-based analysis. Hum Mov Sci 2022; 86:103004. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2022.103004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Lingo VanGilder J, Bergamino M, Hooyman A, Fitzhugh MC, Rogalsky C, Stewart JC, Beeman SC, Schaefer SY. Using whole-brain diffusion tensor analysis to evaluate white matter structural correlates of delayed visuospatial memory and one-week motor skill retention in nondemented older adults: A preliminary study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274955. [PMID: 36137126 PMCID: PMC9499308 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Skill retention is important for motor rehabilitation outcomes. Recent work has demonstrated that delayed visuospatial memory performance may predict motor skill retention in older and neuropathological populations. White matter integrity between parietal and frontal cortices may explain variance in upper-extremity motor learning tasks and visuospatial processes. We performed a whole-brain analysis to determine the white matter correlates of delayed visuospatial memory and one-week motor skill retention in nondemented older adults. We hypothesized that better frontoparietal tract integrity would be positively related to better behavioral performance. Nineteen participants (age>58) completed diffusion-weighted imaging, then a clinical test of delayed visuospatial memory and 50 training trials of an upper-extremity motor task; participants were retested on the motor task one week later. Principal component analysis was used to create a composite score for each participant’s behavioral data, i.e. shared variance between delayed visuospatial memory and motor skill retention, which was then entered into a voxel-based regression analysis. Behavioral results demonstrated that participants learned and retained their skill level after a week of no practice, and their delayed visuospatial memory score was positively related to the extent of skill retention. Consistent with previous work, neuroimaging results indicated that regions within bilateral anterior thalamic radiations, corticospinal tracts, and superior longitudinal fasciculi were related to better delayed visuospatial memory and skill retention. Results of this study suggest that the simple act of testing for specific cognitive impairments prior to therapy may identify older adults who will receive little to no benefit from the motor rehabilitation regimen, and that these neural regions may be potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennapher Lingo VanGilder
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Maurizio Bergamino
- Barrow Neuroimaging Innovation Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Andrew Hooyman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Megan C. Fitzhugh
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Corianne Rogalsky
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jill C. Stewart
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Scott C. Beeman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Sydney Y. Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Hooyman A, VanGilder JL, Schaefer SY. Mediation Analysis of the Effect of Visuospatial Memory on Motor Skill Learning in Older Adults. J Mot Behav 2022; 55:68-77. [PMID: 35902117 PMCID: PMC9792432 DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2022.2105793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
There is high inter-individual variability in motor skill learning among older adults. Identifying the nature of these individual differences remains challenging due to interactions between participant characteristics (e.g., age, cognition) and task-related factors (e.g., nature of task, level of skill pre-training), making it difficult to determine plausibly causal relationships. This study addresses these competing explanations by using mediation analysis to examine plausible causal inference between visuospatial memory and one-month retention of both gross and fine motor components of a functional upper-extremity task following training. Results suggest that better visuospatial memory results in more retention of fine but not gross motor skill, expanding on previous correlational studies in older adults and informing future interventions for maximizing motor learning in geriatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Hooyman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ,
USA
| | | | - Sydney Y. Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ,
USA
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Schaefer SY, Malek-Ahmadi M, Hooyman A, King JB, Duff K. Association Between Motor Task Performance and Hippocampal Atrophy Across Cognitively Unimpaired, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer's Disease Individuals. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 85:1411-1417. [PMID: 34958015 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampal atrophy is a widely used biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the cost, time, and contraindications associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) limit its use. Recent work has shown that a low-cost upper extremity motor task has potential in identifying AD risk. Fifty-four older adults (15 cognitively unimpaired, 24 amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and 15 AD) completed six motor task trials and a structural MRI. Several measures of motor task performance significantly predicted bilateral hippocampal volume, controlling for age, sex, education, and memory. Thus, this motor task may be an affordable, non-invasive screen for AD risk and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Y Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | | | - Andrew Hooyman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Jace B King
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Kevin Duff
- Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging, & Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Schaefer SY, Duff K, Hooyman A, Hoffman JM. Improving Prediction of Amyloid Deposition in Mild Cognitive Impairment With a Timed Motor Task. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2022; 37:15333175211048262. [PMID: 35200059 PMCID: PMC10666206 DOI: 10.1177/15333175211048262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cortical amyloid deposition is one of the hallmark biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, given how cost- and time-intensive amyloid imaging can be, there is a continued need for a low-cost, non-invasive, and accessible enrichment strategy to pre-screen individuals for their likelihood of amyloid prior to imaging. Previous work supports the use of coordinated limb movement as a potential screening tool, even after controlling for cognitive and daily function. Thirty-six patients diagnosed with amnestic mild cognitive impairment over the age of 65 underwent 18F-Flutemetamol amyloid-positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and then completed a timed motor task involving upper limb coordination. This task takes ∼5 minutes to administer and score. Multivariate linear regression and receiver operator characteristic analyses showed that including motor task performance improved model prediction of amyloid burden. Results support the rationale for including functional upper extremity motor assessment as a cost- and time-effective means to screen participants for amyloid deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Y. Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Kevin Duff
- Center for Alzheimer’s Care, Imaging, and Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Andrew Hooyman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - John M. Hoffman
- Center for Alzheimer’s Care, Imaging, and Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Lingo VanGilder J, Lopez-Lennon C, Paul SS, Dibble LE, Duff K, Schaefer SY. Relating Global Cognition With Upper-Extremity Motor Skill Retention in Individuals With Mild-to-Moderate Parkinson's Disease. FRONTIERS IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES 2021; 2:754118. [PMID: 36188810 PMCID: PMC9397847 DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2021.754118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Cognition has been linked to rehabilitation outcomes in stroke populations, but this remains unexplored in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this secondary data analysis from a recent clinical trial (NCT02600858) was to determine if global cognition was related to skill performance after motor training in individuals with PD. Methods: Twenty-three participants with idiopathic PD completed 3 days of training on an upper-extremity task. For the purposes of the original clinical trial, participants trained either "on" or "off" their dopamine replacement medication. Baseline, training, and 48-h retention data have been previously published. Global cognition was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Linear regression examined whether MoCA score predicted longer-term retention at nine-day follow-up; baseline motor task performance, age, PD severity, depressive symptoms, and group (medication "on"/"off") were included as covariates. Baseline and follow-up motor task performance were assessed for all participants while "on" their medication. Results: MoCA score was positively related to follow-up motor task performance, such that individuals with better cognition were faster than those with poorer cognition. Baseline task performance, age, PD severity, depressive symptoms, and medication status were unrelated to follow-up performance. Discussion and Conclusions: Results of this secondary analysis align with previous work that suggest cognitive impairment may interfere with motor learning in PD and support the premise that cognitive training prior to or concurrent with motor training may enhance rehabilitative outcomes for individuals with PD. Findings also suggest that assessing cognition in individuals with PD could provide prognostic information about their responsiveness to motor rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennapher Lingo VanGilder
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Cielita Lopez-Lennon
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Serene S. Paul
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Discipline of Physiotherapy, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Leland E. Dibble
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Kevin Duff
- Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging and Research, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Sydney Y. Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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Gabriel A, Lehner CT, Höhler C, Schneider T, Pfeiffer TPT, Diehl-Schmid J, Hermsdörfer J. Anticipatory and Reactive Grip Force Control in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A Pilot Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 82:1651-1665. [PMID: 34219727 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects several cognitive functions and causes altered motor function. Fine motor deficits during object manipulation are evident in other neurological conditions, but have not been assessed in dementia patients yet. OBJECTIVE Investigate reactive and anticipatory grip force control in response to unexpected and expected load force perturbation in AD. METHODS Reactive and anticipatory grip force was investigated using a grip-device with force sensors. In this pilot study, fifteen AD patients and fourteen healthy controls performed a catching task. They held the device with one hand while a sandbag was dropped into an attached receptacle either by the experimenter or by the participant. RESULTS In contrast to studies of other neurological conditions, the majority of AD patients exerted lower static grip force levels than controls. Interestingly, patients who were slow in the Luria's three-step test produced normal grip forces. The timing and magnitude of reactive grip force control were largely preserved in patients. In contrast, timing and extent of anticipatory grip forces were impaired in patients, although anticipatory control was generally preserved. These deficits were correlated with decreasing Mini-Mental State Examination scores. Apraxia scores, assessed by pantomime of tool-use, did not correlate with performance in the catching task. CONCLUSION We interpreted the decreased grip force in AD in the context of loss of strength and lethargy, typical for patients with AD. The lower static grip force during object manipulation may emerge as a potential biomarker for early stages of AD, but more studies with larger sample sizes are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gabriel
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Carolin T Lehner
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Chiara Höhler
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Schneider
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Tessa P T Pfeiffer
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Janine Diehl-Schmid
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Joachim Hermsdörfer
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Hooyman A, Talboom JS, DeBoth MD, Ryan L, Huentelman M, Schaefer SY. Remote, unsupervised functional motor task evaluation in older adults across the United States using the MindCrowd electronic cohort. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2021:2021.05.17.21257333. [PMID: 34031669 PMCID: PMC8142671 DOI: 10.1101/2021.05.17.21257333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the ability to evaluate motor function in older adults, as motor assessments typically require face-to-face interaction. This study tested whether motor function can be assessed at home. One hundred seventy-seven older adults nationwide (recruited through the MindCrowd electronic cohort) completed a brief functional upper-extremity assessment at home and unsupervised. Performance data were compared to data from an independent sample of community-dwelling older adults (N=250) assessed by an experimenter in-lab. The effect of age on performance was similar between the in-lab and at-home groups for both the dominant and non-dominant hand. Practice effects were also similar between the groups. Assessing upper-extremity motor function remotely is feasible and reliable in community-dwelling older adults. This test offers a practical solution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and telehealth practice and other research involving remote or geographically isolated individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Hooyman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Joshua S Talboom
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Matthew D DeBoth
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Lee Ryan
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Matt Huentelman
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Sydney Y Schaefer
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- The Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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How Common Is the Exponential Decay Pattern of Motor Skill Acquisition? A Brief Investigation. Motor Control 2021; 25:451-461. [PMID: 33992025 DOI: 10.1123/mc.2020-0043] [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: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Motor performance is classically described as improving nonlinearly with practice, demonstrating rapid improvements early in practice with stabilization later, which is commonly modeled by exponential decay functions. However, retrospective analyses of our previously collected data challenge this theoretical model of motor skill acquisition, suggesting that a majority of individual learners actually demonstrate patterns of motor improvement different from this classical model. A convenience sample of young adults, older adults, and people with Parkinson disease trained on the same functional upper-extremity task. When fitting three-parameter exponential decay functions to individual participant data, the authors found that only 13.3% of young adults, 40.9% of older adults, and 66.7% of adults with Parkinson disease demonstrated this "classical" skill acquisition pattern. Thus, the three-parameter exponential decay pattern may not well-represent individuals' skill acquisition of complex motor tasks; instead, more individualized analysis methods may be warranted for advancing a theoretical understanding of motor skill acquisition.
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Age-related differences in functional tool-use are due to changes in movement quality and not simply motor slowing. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:1617-1626. [PMID: 33760958 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06084-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Age-related declines in fine motor control may impact tool-use and thereby limit functional independence. Most previous research has, however, focused on the effect of aging on gross motor tasks. Few studies have investigated the effects of aging on the strategy or quality of fine motor skills, especially in tool-use, which may better reflect how age impacts complex movement capability. Twenty-two young (ages 19-35) and 18 older adults (ages 58-87) performed a timed upper extremity task using a tool to acquire and transport objects to different locations. Overall task performance was divided into two phases based on 3-D position of the tool: a gross motor phase (object transport) and a fine motor phase (object acquisition). Overall, older adults took longer to complete the task. A linear model indicated that this was due to the duration of the fine motor phase more so than the gross motor phase. To identify age-related differences in the quality of the fine motor phase, we fit three-dimensional ellipsoids to individual data and the calculated the ellipsoid volume. Results demonstrated a significant volume-by-age interaction, whereby increased ellipsoid volume (space the tool occupied) related to increased mean dwell time for the older adult group only; younger adults did not demonstrate this relationship. Additionally, older adults with longer movement times during the fine motor phase also had lower cognitive scores. No age-related differences were observed for the gross motor phase, suggesting that age-related declines in tool-use may be due to changes in fine motor control and cognitive status.
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