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How Age, Cognitive Function and Gender Affect Bimanual Force Control
Julian Rudisch1,2, Katrin Müller1, Dieter F Kutz1,2
1Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany.
Frontiers in Physiology
|April 16, 2020
Summary
Aging and sex impact bimanual force control, affecting coordination and performance. Task symmetry and hand laterality significantly influence these effects, highlighting complex neural processing differences.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Human Motor Control
- Cognitive Aging
Background:
- Coordinated bimanual control relies on intra- and interhemispheric networks.
- Aging, cognitive impairments, and sex can negatively impact these neural networks.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for assessing motor function across the lifespan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of age, cognitive function, and sex on bimanual force coordination.
- To determine how task characteristics (symmetry, difficulty) modulate these effects.
- To explore the relationship between bimanual control markers and cognitive decline.
Main Methods:
- 162 participants (young adults, healthy older adults, mild cognitive impairment) performed isometric bimanual force control tasks.
- Tasks varied in symmetry and force pattern (constant, alternating).
- Performance, inter-hand coupling, and variability complexity were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Performance and coupling were influenced by task symmetry and hand laterality.
- Older adults (healthy and MCI) showed poorer performance and reduced coupling compared to young adults.
- Females exhibited reduced coupling and less complex variability structure in specific tasks.
Conclusions:
- Age and sex significantly affect bimanual force control, with task-dependent variations.
- Task symmetry and hand execution are critical factors in bimanual coordination.
- No clear link was found between bimanual control markers and mild cognitive impairment versus healthy aging.
