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Neural Correlates of Motor Skill Learning Are Dependent on Both Age and Task Difficulty
Josje M Bootsma1, Simone R Caljouw1, Menno P Veldman2,3
1Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
|April 8, 2021
Summary
Older adults show worse motor performance with harder tasks. Task difficulty impacts motor learning and brain plasticity in older adults, especially at higher difficulty levels.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cognitive Aging
Background:
- Age-related decline in neural plasticity is known.
- Previous studies on age and motor practice plasticity are inconsistent, possibly due to task difficulty variations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how age and task difficulty influence motor learning.
- To examine the effects on associated brain activity and neural plasticity.
Main Methods:
- Healthy younger and older adults performed a mirror star tracing task at varying difficulty levels.
- Task-related electroencephalography (EEG) power in alpha and beta bands assessed neural plasticity before, immediately after, and 24-h post-practice.
Main Results:
- Motor performance declined with age, worsening with increased task difficulty.
- Older adults exhibited more bilateral brain activity compared to younger adults.
- Task difficulty specifically impacted motor skill retention and neural plasticity in older adults, with benefits seen only at lower difficulty levels.
Conclusions:
- Both age and task difficulty significantly affect motor learning and neural plasticity.
- Older adults' ability to retain motor skills and exhibit neural plasticity is modulated by task difficulty.
