The effect of age on postural and cognitive task performance while using vibrotactile feedback.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Neuroscience
• Gerontology

Background:

• Vibrotactile feedback (VTF) enhances balance in healthy individuals and those with vestibular disorders under single-task conditions.
• The impact of aging on the ability to utilize VTF and its associated attentional demands remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of age on postural and cognitive performance when using VTF.
• To determine if older and younger adults have different attentional requirements when integrating VTF.
• To examine the influence of sensory conditions, cognitive load, and practice over two visits.

Main Methods:

• Twenty younger and 20 older adults participated in a two-visit study.
• Postural control was assessed using center of pressure (COP) and trunk tilt.
• Cognitive performance was measured via reaction time (RT) in an auditory choice task.
• Experiments involved varying sensory conditions and a secondary cognitive task.

Main Results:

• Older adults showed increased COP on a fixed platform but improved on a sway-referenced platform with VTF.
• Older adults exhibited a delayed benefit from VTF during the initial session.
• VTF significantly increased cognitive task RTs in both age groups, with a more pronounced effect in older adults, indicating higher attentional load.

Conclusions:

• Aging influences the effectiveness of VTF for balance, particularly on fixed surfaces.
• Older adults require greater attentional resources to effectively use VTF, suggesting age-related differences in sensory integration and cognitive processing.
• Future VTF training interventions should consider age-specific adaptations and attentional demands.