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Measuring Hand Sensory Function and Force Control in Older Adults: Are Current Hand Assessment Tools Enough?
Rachel N Logue1, Elana R Goldenkoff2, Michael Vesia2
1Motor Control Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Summary
Older adults show deficits in tactile pattern recognition and fine motor control, even with normal grip strength. New assessment tools reveal subtle hand sensorimotor impairments affecting daily activities.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Hand sensorimotor function is crucial for daily activities.
- Limited data exists on age-related hand function differences due to assessment tool limitations.
- Subtle performance variations in older adults necessitate sensitive measurement tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate age-related differences in submaximal force control.
- To assess age-related differences in tactile pattern recognition.
- To demonstrate the utility of custom sensorimotor assessment tools in healthy older adults.
Main Methods:
- Compared 13 healthy older adults (mean age 72.2 years) with 13 young adults.
- Utilized custom tools for submaximal grip force step-tracking (5, 20% MVC) and tactile pattern recognition.
- Included clinical assessments: MoCA, monofilament testing, MVC, Grooved Pegboard Test.
Main Results:
- Older adults exhibited slower tactile pattern discrimination and lower accuracy.
- Older adults showed less smooth force production at 20% MVC.
- Force maintenance variability was higher at 5% MVC in older adults, but not at 20% MVC.
Conclusions:
- Older adults have impaired tactile integration and low grip force control despite preserved grip strength and cognition.
- Findings highlight the need for sensitive sensorimotor evaluation methods.
- Custom tools effectively identified age-related functional declines relevant to daily tasks.
