Bootsma, Josje M;
Caljouw, Simone R;
Veldman, Menno P;
Maurits, Natasha M;
Rothwell, John C;
Hortobagyi, Tibor;
(2021)
Neural Correlates of Motor Skill Learning Are Dependent on Both Age and Task Difficulty.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
, 13
, Article 643132. 10.3389/fnagi.2021.643132.
Preview |
Text
Neural Correlates of Motor Skill Learning Are Dependent on Both Age and Task Difficulty.pdf - Published Version Download (2MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Although a general age-related decline in neural plasticity is evident, the effects of age on neural plasticity after motor practice are inconclusive. Inconsistencies in the literature may be related to between-study differences in task difficulty. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of age and task difficulty on motor learning and associated brain activity. We used task-related electroencephalography (EEG) power in the alpha (8–12 Hz) and beta (13–30 Hz) frequency bands to assess neural plasticity before, immediately after, and 24-h after practice of a mirror star tracing task at one of three difficulty levels in healthy younger (19–24 yr) and older (65–86 yr) adults. Results showed an age-related deterioration in motor performance that was more pronounced with increasing task difficulty and was accompanied by a more bilateral activity pattern for older vs. younger adults. Task difficulty affected motor skill retention and neural plasticity specifically in older adults. Older adults that practiced at the low or medium, but not the high, difficulty levels were able to maintain improvements in accuracy at retention and showed modulation of alpha TR-Power after practice. Together, these data indicate that both age and task difficulty affect motor learning, as well as the associated neural plasticity.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Neural Correlates of Motor Skill Learning Are Dependent on Both Age and Task Difficulty |
| Location: | Switzerland |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.3389/fnagi.2021.643132 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2021.643132 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2021 Bootsma, Caljouw, Veldman, Maurits, Rothwell and Hortobágyi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. |
| Keywords: | Aging, electroencephalography, motor learning, plasticity, spectral analysis, task difficulty |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Clinical and Movement Neurosciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10178850 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
