Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Coactivation to reduce variability in the elderly

R D Seidler-Dobrin1, J He, G E Stelmach

  • 1Motor Control Laboratory, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.

Motor Control
|October 6, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Memory trace strength and response biasing in short-term motor memory.

Memory & cognition·2013
Same author

The continuing saga of the nerve compression block technique.

Journal of motor behavior·2013
Same author

The temporal placement of interpolated movements in short-term motor memory .

Journal of motor behavior·2013
Same author

In memorium.

Journal of motor behavior·2013
Same author

Behavioral and neurological parameters of the nerve compression block.

Journal of motor behavior·2013
Same author

A test of the schema theory of discrete motor learning.

Journal of motor behavior·2013
Same journal

Interplay Between Postural Stability and Coordination in Female Soccer Players With Chronic Ankle Instability.

Motor control·2026
Same journal

Muscle Synergies During Countermovement Jump: Comparing Athletes and Nonathletes.

Motor control·2026
Same journal

The Effect of Mental and Muscular Fatigue on Movement Variability in Dart Throwing: A UCM Analysis.

Motor control·2026
Same journal

Working Together: Synergistic Predictors of Dyadic Performance in a Shared Force-Production Task.

Motor control·2026
Same journal

Between a Rock and a Hard Place in Science: A Biographical Account of One Discovery.

Motor control·2026
Same journal

Reliability and Diurnal-Fatigability Effects on Force-Time Characteristics During Maximal Voluntary Handgrip Contractions.

Motor control·2026
See all related articles

Elderly adults show similar muscle activity scaling to young adults but use more coactivation, potentially reducing movement speed. This coactivation strategy may help decrease movement variability in older individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Motor Control
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Understanding age-related changes in motor control is crucial for maintaining functional independence.
  • Previous research suggests alterations in muscle activity patterns with aging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if elderly individuals exhibit reciprocal muscle phasing and EMG burst amplitude scaling comparable to young adults.
  • To explore the role of coactivation in elderly movement control and its impact on movement variability and acceleration.

Main Methods:

  • Seven young and seven elderly adults performed elbow flexion movements against varying inertial loads.
  • Electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activity during movements of a specified duration.
  • A single-joint, two-muscle model was developed to simulate coactivation effects on movement variability.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Elderly participants had less success achieving the target movement duration and spent more time accelerating.
  • Both age groups scaled EMG burst amplitude similarly with increasing loads.
  • Elderly subjects exhibited greater agonist/antagonist coactivation, leading to reduced limb acceleration.

Conclusions:

  • Elderly individuals utilize coactivation to reduce movement variability, though this strategy may impair rapid acceleration capabilities.
  • While muscle activity scaling is preserved, elderly motor control strategies differ, impacting movement dynamics.