Movement timing and cognitive control: adult-age differences in multi-tasking

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Motor Control
• Human Aging

Background:

• Motor timing and cognitive control are crucial for daily activities.
• Age-related declines in cognitive function can impact motor performance.
• Existing models suggest timing becomes automatic with practice, even at short intervals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of concurrent cognitive tasks and task-switching on motor timing in young and older adults.
• To examine age-related differences in the automaticity of simple repetitive movements.
• To explore the role of cognitive control demands in motor timing interference.

Main Methods:

• Participants (young and older adults) performed repetitive tapping tasks at 300 and 600 ms durations.
• Tapping was performed concurrently with cognitive tasks under non-switch and switch conditions over six sessions.
• Timing accuracy (variability) and drift were measured under single-task and dual-task conditions.

Main Results:

• Switch costs in tapping tasks persisted across sessions and were greater in older adults.
• Both age groups showed increased tapping drift under dual-task conditions.
• Older adults' timing variability increased with cognitive task-set switching, while young adults improved.
• Timing interference was linked to cognitive control demands, not multitasking alone.

Conclusions:

• Simple repetitive movements are not fully automatic, even at sub-second intervals.
• Cognitive control is critical for maintaining accurate motor timing representations.
• Age-related timing deficits are exacerbated by the cognitive demands of task switching, not simply by concurrent task engagement.