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Using Virtual Reality to Transfer Motor Skill Knowledge from One Hand to Another
Published on: September 18, 2017
Age differences in spatial working memory contributions to visuomotor adaptation and transfer.
Jeanne Langan1, Rachael D Seidler
1School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Behavioural Brain Research
|July 26, 2011
Summary
Older adults show deficits in acquiring new motor skills, but not in transferring learned skills. Spatial working memory (SWM) engagement differs by age, impacting motor learning and transfer differently.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Motor Control
Background:
- Motor skill learning involves acquisition and transfer.
- Older adults often show motor acquisition decline but not transfer deficits.
- Spatial working memory (SWM) is crucial for skill learning, especially in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the role of SWM in motor learning and transfer across age groups.
- Examine age-related differences in cognitive strategy engagement during motor tasks.
- Determine how SWM influences motor adaptation and skill transfer in young and older adults.
Main Methods:
- Compared motor learning and transfer performance in young and older adults.
- Assessed spatial working memory (SWM) and reaction time.
- Utilized neuroimaging (fMRI) to examine brain activity during SWM and visuomotor adaptation tasks.
Main Results:
- Both age groups demonstrated positive transfer in some performance variables.
- SWM and reaction time correlated with motor learning and transfer in young adults.
- Young adults showed overlapping brain activation between SWM and visuomotor tasks, particularly during learning; older adults had limited overlap.
Conclusions:
- Age differences in cognitive strategy engagement differentially impact motor learning and transfer.
- Limited SWM engagement in older adults may explain motor skill deficits.
- Understanding SWM's role can inform interventions for age-related motor decline.
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