Age effects on saccadic adaptation: Evidence from different paradigms reveals specific vulnerabilities

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Saccadic eye movements are crucial for visual perception and motor control.
• Aging affects perceptual, motor, and cognitive functions, including eye movement control.
• Saccadic plasticity offers insights into age-related changes in neural mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related differences in saccadic adaptation mechanisms.
• To compare age effects on low-level motor versus high-level perceptual adaptation.
• To understand how aging impacts different facets of saccadic plasticity.

Main Methods:

• Two adaptation paradigms were used: a double-step paradigm for low-level adaptation and a perceptual task for high-level adaptation.
• Participants included 27 senior adults and 25 young adults.
• Saccadic gain adaptation was measured in both paradigms.

Main Results:

• Both age groups exhibited equivalent adaptation of saccadic gain in the low-level motor adaptation task.
• The fast adaptation response, associated with high-level processes, was significantly more pronounced in young adults.
• No age-related differences were found in low-level adaptation, but high-level adaptation showed age-related decline.

Conclusions:

• Low-level motor adaptation of saccades remains robust during healthy aging.
• High-level saccadic adaptation, potentially involving executive strategies, declines with age.
• Differentiating aging processes is essential for understanding functional changes across the lifespan.