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Effects of normal aging on visuo-motor plasticity
Carrie A Roller1, Helen S Cohen, Kay T Kimball
1The Bobby R. Alford Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. croller@bcm.tmc.edu
Neurobiology of Aging
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Aging does not significantly impact visuo-motor plasticity, the brain's ability to adapt to visual changes. This finding suggests that the capacity for visual-motor adaptation remains stable across adulthood, contrary to expectations of age-related decline.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Normal aging is linked to neurological function decline.
- Visual and vestibular impairments can lead to falls, especially in older adults.
- Visuo-motor plasticity is crucial for adapting to sensory alterations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of aging on visuo-motor plasticity.
- To determine if age affects the ability to adapt to visual-motor rearrangement.
Main Methods:
- A visual-motor rearrangement paradigm using prisms was employed.
- Participants (aged 20-80) threw balls at a target before, during, and after prism wear.
- Multilevel modeling analyzed adaptation data from 73 subjects.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences in visuo-motor plasticity were found with advancing age.
- The rate or extent of adaptation to visual displacement did not change significantly with age.
Conclusions:
- Visuo-motor plasticity appears to be preserved across the adult lifespan.
- Further research will explore variable practice training to enhance this neural plasticity.