Increasing right hand dominance with age on a motor skill task

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Motor Control

Background:

• Cognitive function in aging often shows preserved left hemisphere-dependent abilities.
• Motor skills and hemispheric function in older adults require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine age-related changes in manipulative skills using a standardized pegboard task.
• To test the hypothesis that right-hand motor skills are better preserved than left-hand skills in older adults.

Main Methods:

• A standardized pegboard task was administered to 119 right-handed subjects of varying ages.
• Performance was assessed for both right and left hand motor skills.
• The impact of practice on motor skill improvement was analyzed across age groups.

Main Results:

• Initially, older subjects demonstrated better-preserved right-hand manipulative skills compared to left-hand skills (P < 0.01).
• Practice effects were more pronounced for the left hand in subjects over 60, masking the initial age-related asymmetry (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Ageing affects motor skills asymmetrically, with initial preservation of right-hand skills.
• Practice can differentially improve left-hand motor skills in older adults.
• These findings may relate to age-related emotional lability and neurosis, potentially linked to right hemisphere function.