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Age-related differences in proprioceptive and visuo-proprioceptive function in relation to fine motor behaviour
Liudmila Liutsko1,2, Ruben Muiños1,2, Josep Maria Tous-Ral1,3,2
1Department of Personality Assessment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.
European Journal of Ageing
|August 15, 2017
Summary
Fine motor skills peak in middle age, then decline. Proprioception (body awareness) influences this decline, with earlier changes observed when vision is removed, impacting fall prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Human Development
- Motor Control
Background:
- Lifelong development impacts motor control, with performance improving through adulthood and then declining.
- Understanding age-related changes in fine motor skills is crucial for maintaining function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-dependent fine motor behavior in relation to proprioception and visual input.
- To identify age-related performance peaks and declines in fine motor tasks.
Main Methods:
- 196 participants (12-95 years) performed line-tracing tasks under proprioceptive + visual (PV) and proprioceptive-only conditions.
- Movement analysis included frontal and transversal types, across both hands.
- Regression analyses examined performance speed and line length in relation to age.
Main Results:
- Fine motor performance peaked in middle age, with a quadratic relationship to age observed in most conditions.
- The age of peak performance shifted earlier in the proprioceptive-only condition.
- Performance speed decreased under PV conditions for most movements; hand symmetry in precision increased with age.
Conclusions:
- Age-related differences in proprioception significantly affect fine motor skills.
- Findings suggest potential for preventive strategies to preserve proprioceptive function, reducing risks of falls and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's.
