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Updated: Jun 7, 2026
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Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Is there an advanced aging effect on the ability to mentally represent action?
Carl Gabbard1, Priscila Caçola, Alberto Cordova
1Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4243, USA. c-gabbard@tamu.edu
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|November 2, 2010
Summary
Older adults show a decline in motor imagery, specifically in estimating reachability. This age-related decline impacts the mental representation of movements, affecting spatial judgment.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Aging Research
Background:
- Motor programming theory emphasizes the role of mental representations in effective movement execution.
- Advanced age is associated with a decline in motor imagery abilities across various tasks.
- Motor imagery, the mental simulation of movements, is crucial for action planning and execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of advanced age on motor imagery capabilities.
- To specifically examine age-related differences in estimating reachability using motor imagery.
Main Methods:
- Thirty young adults (mean age 20) and 23 older adults (mean age 77) participated.
- Participants used motor imagery to judge if targets in peripersonal and extrapersonal space were within reach.
- Accuracy in estimating reachability was compared between the young and older adult groups.
Main Results:
- Younger adults demonstrated significantly higher accuracy in reachability estimation compared to older adults (p < 0.001).
- Both groups made more errors in extrapersonal space, but older adults exhibited significantly higher error rates.
- Older adults tended to overestimate reachability to a greater extent than younger adults.
Conclusions:
- Advanced age is associated with a decline in the ability to mentally represent actions, specifically in reachability judgments.
- These findings support the notion that motor imagery and action representation abilities diminish with aging.
- Age-related changes in motor imagery may contribute to difficulties in spatial perception and action planning.
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