Effects of age simulation and age on motor sequence learning: Interaction of age-related cognitive and motor decline.

Aging is known to lead to decrements in sensory and cognitive functioning and motor performance. The purpose of the present experiment was twofold: a) We assessed the influence of wearing an age simulation suit on motor sequence learning, cognitive speed tasks and far visual acuity in healthy, younger adults. b) We evaluated the interaction of cognitive aging and declining motor sequence learning in older adults.

The influence of age and age simulation on task-difficulty choices in motor tasks.

Having a realistic perception of one's motor abilities is important for successful aging. We used two different motor tasks, carrying a tray with cube-towers (study 1; n = 20 young adults; n = 20 older adults), and stepping over a crossbar (study 2; n = 23 young adults; n = 21 older adults), to investigate how physical risk influences task-difficulty choices. We also investigated the effect of wearing an age simulation suit on young adults.

How an Age Simulation Suit affects Motor and Cognitive Performance and Self-perception in Younger Adults.

Background/study Context: We assessed the influence of wearing an Age Simulation Suit (GERT) on gross motor, fine motor and cognitive performance in healthy young adults.

Methods: In a within-subjects design, we tested 20 young adults (  = 22.3 years) with and without the Age Simulation Suit.

The Cognitive Status of Older Adults: Do Reduced Time Constraints Enhance Sequence Learning?

Research has indicated that older adults perform movement sequences more slowly than young adults. The purpose of the present experiment was to compare movement sequence learning in young and older adults when the time to perform the sequence was extended, and how the elderly's cognitive status (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]) interacted with sequence learning. The task was to minimize the difference between a target sequence pattern and the sequence produced by elbow extension-flexion movements.